Illegal fireworks continue to plague area

calls and in case the worst happened: a fireworks-caused blaze or serious injury.

Illegal fireworks are still a problem that some officials believe is the same as always or getting worse. Here’s a look at what fire and police personnel encountered:

The Yuba City Police Department had 134 fireworks-related calls during the Fourth of July, until 1 a.m. Wednesday.

YCPD had assistance from the Yuba-Sutter Aero Squadron, and additional police officers and firefighters were put on duty to respond to calls.

The number of citations could not be released until evaluated by the Yuba City City Council, Lt. Jim Runyen said.

“They’re wanting to see what the results were, the whole broad results of everything,” Runyen said.

Yuba City has added a city ordinance fining people $1,000 if they use illegal fireworks or host other people who use them on their property.

Runyen was a part of the heavy

patrol Tuesday night. Based on his 11 years of working in Yuba City, he said goings-on remained about the same.

"Over the last several years, it’s been more of a problem,” he said. “It was going to take doing what we had to do, which was writing a citation."

He said the fireworks seemed to die off earlier in the evening than in years past.

Yuba City Fire Chief Peter Daley said city officials and employees did a good job getting the word out against the use of illegal fireworks.

“The public did a great job of contacting our dispatch center,” Daley said. “I think people out there are getting a little frustrated with people lighting illegal fireworks near their homes. People want to be good neighbors, but at the same time they want to be safe.”

One fire, sparked by safe and sane fireworks, caused a shed with propane tanks to ignite. Daley said the fightfighters fought defensively to put the fire out and protect the propane tanks. Tanks are typically equipped with protections to prevent explosions when exposed to a fire, he said. The shed and garage of the home were damaged.

“It’s typical for people to store it in the shed,” Daley said. “(The incident commander) just didn’t want crews to go into the shed until they had knocked the fire down.”

The Marysville Fire Department responded to about 25 calls, 10 from fireworks, with three citations issued for illegal fireworks.

The fire department and Marysville Police Department patrolled the area for signs of illegal fireworks, Fire Chief Dale Vogelsang said. Individuals lighting illegal fireworks often established lookouts to warn of patrol cars, but police and fire were able to circumvent their efforts, he said.

“The main problem for us is anything that sends a projectile,” he said. “The problem with that is not only do we not have nonprofessionals lighting those, but it’s low elevation that might not be out when it hits the ground or a roof.”

Fireworks caused a backyard fire in the 2200 block of Cheim Boulevard, but neighbors were able to put out the blaze by the time fire crews arrived, Vogelsang said.

“Things worked well, but we can improve on our tactics a bit,” he said. “There were a fair amount of commercial fireworks being lit around the city, and that’s a concern for us. Everything is a concern because we’re a oneengine company.”

The Linda Fire Protection District received seven fireworks-related calls. The most damaging was a collection of grass fires off North Beale Road.

Fire Chief Rich Webb said the homeowner had about 50 to 100 feet of fence damaged, but the recently cut grass helped stop the spread of the fire.

“Fortunately, the homeowner had noticed it and had taken action with a garden hose,” Webb said. “It kept it relatively small until the engine could get the fire contained.”

Webb said he believes the use of illegal fireworks is getting worse in the unincorporated areas of Yuba County.

“As much as we’re seeing, I don’t believe they’re all going out of state to get it,” he said. “There hasn’t been locally a serious injury or death, but those are powerful explosives.”