Authorities across the Bay Area continue to warn against the use of any fireworks as the Fourth of July holiday approaches, but there are several communities still selling “safe and sane” fireworks.
More stands have been popping up in recent days in places where safe and sane fireworks are legal, and Monday marks the first official and legal day of sales.
Among the locations where safe and sane fireworks are on sale include San Bruno, Pacifica, Dublin, Newark, Union City, Gilroy and several North Bay locations.
Some public safety agencies for weeks have been warning residents against using any type of fireworks, especially the illegal kind, and law enforcement have said they plan to step up patrols this holiday weekend as the extreme drought conditions make it dangerous to set off fireworks.
San Jose police took to Twitter to remind their residents that all fireworks, even the safe and sane type, are illegal and can result in thousands of dollars in fines or even jail time.
Some agree that the tradition should be left to the professionals.
“I hear illegal fireworks go off all the time. I don’t believe any fireworks should be sold,” South San Francisco resident Patrick Rosenthal said. “They should do controlled shows if they’re going to have them.”
Avonnlea Dowell, also of South San Francisco said: “I don’t think they should be illegal, but keep them small and don’t promote all these big parties with all these big illegal fireworks.”
California and Bay Area communities are not alone in banning fireworks. Local bans on personal fireworks are in effect in places such as New Mexico and Idaho, and public fireworks displays are being canceled in states such as Colorado and Arizona, where there have been some wildfires.
Source: NBC Bay Area