City and county firefighters warn against using illegal fireworks
Bakersfield Fire Department Battalion Chief Brian Bowman has one way to describe Fourth of July after about 14 years of working on that day.
“It’s like a war zone,” Bowman, who also acts as the department’s public information officer, said Monday with regard to fireworks booming all over town on Independence Day.
An already large call volume only grows as more people use illegal fireworks. Firefighters are warning residents against partaking in illegal firework activity because of the deadly consequences it can cause ahead of the upcoming holiday.
Bowman said last year the agency responded to more than 5,000 calls reporting illegal fireworks, and its email tip line received about 700 notices from residents. Increasing the load was an approximate 253 calls made to 9-1-1 dispatchers from 8 a.m. July 4 to 8 a.m. July 5, he added.
“That’s a pretty substantial number of calls per (station) in a 24-hour period,” Bowman said.
Many different factors cause the uptick of incidents throughout the Fourth of July weekend, Kern County Fire Department Capt. Andrew Freeborn said. Examples include placing hot fireworks into a garbage can that then catches on fire, or people accidentally burning their hands. Low visibility resulting from smoke settling into streets because of the fireworks can lead to a vehicle hitting a pedestrian, he added.
“There’s so many different ingredients to this puzzle,” Freeborn said.
Emphasizing safety — stopping children from playing with fireworks, designating a sober adult to oversee igniting fireworks, having a water source nearby — can reduce injuries, Bowman said.
City and county fire officials are diverting residents to use their online hotline at bit.ly/3Os8mO1 to report illegal firework activity. The website is a new partnership between both departments, Freeborn added.
People living in city limits can call 661-868-6070, email firework@bakersfieldfire.us or use the city of Bakersfield’s website or smartphone app for reporting illegal fireworks.
Using this online resource is vital for firefighters, Freeborn said. He noted that calling 9-1-1 is for emergencies only — not reporting illegal fireworks.
Both agencies will also deploy drones to catch residents using illegal fireworks in action. Consequences of forgoing safety can include losing eyesight, body parts or a home, Freeborn said.
Bowman recommends leaving aerial fireworks to the professionals, while adding it is illegal for people to ignite such material. Ground Bloom Flowers and Piccolo Pete fireworks are legal in the county, but illegal in the city. The Park at River Walk will host a fireworks show starting at 9:15 p.m. July 4.
Residents should also only buy fireworks with a “Safe and Sane” label, he added. These fireworks can only be used in Bakersfield city limits on the following dates and times:
• 9 a.m. July 2 to 12:01 a.m. July 3
• 9 a.m. July 3 to 12:01 a.m. July 4
• 9 a.m. July 4 to 12:30 a.m. July 5
Freeborn said mountain areas such as Tehachapi are not allowed to have personal fireworks. However, the city will put on a fireworks display. Firefighters conducted a prescribed burn Monday to ensure no conflagration starts as a result of the show.
Penalties for having illegal fireworks start at $1,500 and can grow to $2,500 after repeat offenses. These are only some of the consequences a person could face, Freeborn said, and the greater severity could lead to heftier fines or potential jail time.
“The full might of the Kern County Fire Department will be responding to emergency calls and investigating illegal firework activity,” he added.