For many Americans, fireworks are synonymous with the 4th of July. In recent years, however, the public and lawmakers have become increasingly aware of the risk that fireworks pose, especially in drought-stricken California.
While it is undetermined what sparked the Electra Fire on July 4, it has been reported that fireworks caused a small fire on July 3 in Valley Springs. The vegetation fire was started by illegal fireworks in a field behind the Sender’s Ace Hardware store in downtown Valley Springs, and spread to a half-acre before being contained. Senders suffered damages in the amount of $1,000 from the fire, which spread to a stack of lumber. An investigation is ongoing.
Another fire ignited from illegal fireworks in Jackson on the evening of July 3, following the planned fireworks show. The fire was quickly contained due to the Jackson Police Department being near the scene and quickly calling it into the fire department.
While “safe and sane” fireworks are legal at the state level, some counties have opted to ban all fireworks during times of severe drought or high fire risk, as Calaveras did last year. This year, however, Calaveras did not place additional restrictions on fireworks, leaving some locals scratching their heads.
On social media, some have questioned why fireworks are not only legal this year but for sale on the street. A fireworks tent went up in the empty parking lot of a commercial building that is for sale along Highway 49, just a minute outside of Mokelumne Hill.
Commenters called it “plain dumb and dangerous,” “beyond nuts,” and “ridiculous,” though the sale of fireworks was approved by longtime Mokelumne Hill fire chief, Michael Dell'Orto.
“I think it’s a little bit crazy. I say that every year,” said Mokelumne Hill resident and town librarian Shona Sramala about the sale of fireworks to civilians.
Sramala agreed with her friend, who wished to remain anonymous, when she said, “I do love fireworks, but I think it’s better to have more of a show versus individual people buying them.”
Others echoed the sentiment, with some commenters online defending the use of fireworks but only for those “using common sense” and being safe.
Another perspective came from Mokelumne Hill resident Margaret Blood who stated, “I don’t think you should be shooting off fireworks during the fire season. If it’s raining, go for it.”
She said that if she buys fireworks, she saves them for New Year’s Eve celebrations, when the weather is wetter.
In a recent Enterprise poll, over 83% of respondents said fireworks should be illegal during fire season.
For those who lived through the horrors of the 2015 Butte Fire—which took lives, destroyed homes, and displaced families—another wildfire raging nearby is further fueling anxiety. While the cause of the blaze is still unknown, the rapidly-spreading fire drives home the importance of fire safety in hot, dry, and windy conditions.
In a press release encouraging proper fireworks safety protocol, Phantom Fireworks vice president William A. Weimer details the safety standards required for legal fireworks in America and calls 2021 “a record-breaking year” due to the greatest use of fireworks and fewest fireworks-related injuries since 1994.
“1994 was the first year the American Fireworks Standards Laboratory (AFSL) tested consumer fireworks in China for compliance with U.S. safety standards as regulated by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC),” Weimer said. “Phantom Fireworks is a founding member of AFSL, which now tests about 75% of the fireworks coming into the U.S. Phantom tests all consumer fireworks it imports to the AFSL’s standards, which exceed the CPSC standards.”
However, Mokelumne Hill local Will Mosgrove says fireworks “are simply not a good idea” with the ongoing drought and “tinder-box conditions of our local open space and forests.”
“The only ‘Safe and Sane’ way to celebrate holidays is without fireworks,” said Mosgrove.
Mokelumne Hill has observed the Fourth with its annual parade down Main Street for over a century, and this year was no exception.
The parade began with a display from the Mokelumne Hill Fire Protection District, with firemen demonstrating a progressive hose lay and releasing water down Main Street. Followed by a handful of trucks with lights and sirens blazing, the parade featured firefighters from both Mokelumne Hill and San Andreas fire districts.
Calaveras County Fair royalty and a host of other groups and individuals drove, rode, and walked down Main Street, decked out in sparkling decorations and red, white, and blue. Meanwhile, a street fair with local vendors selling crafts, artwork, and hot dogs and margaritas entertained near the park where games and music provided a spot for families to gather.
On July 3 in Amador County, booms rang out as the Jackson Lions Club hosted its annual fireworks show at Aimee Baseball Field, located at Detert Park.
