Santa Clara County says no to fireworks

No sparklers. No Roman candles. No skyrockets.

Firefighters and law enforcement officials in Santa Clara County stood on a hilltop overlooking the parched South Bay foothills Wednesday and pleaded with Fourth of July revelers not to light a single match, fuse or firecracker — lest one of the driest areas of the Bay Area ignite and transform into a droughtfueled tinderbox.

Authorities vowed to crack down on anyone who does.

“We’re not giving out warnings this year,” said Chief Jim Rajskup of Cal Fire. “Our stance is zero tolerance. We’ve had too many fires caused by fireworks.”

Possessing more than 100 pounds of fireworks is a felony and property owners are responsible for illegal use of fireworks on their property, authorities said.

“We’re trying to remind people of the number of days they were unable to breathe last year,” said Santa Clara County Supervisor Cindy Chavez, recalling the 2020 wildfires that turned Bay Area skies orange and kept people indoors with masks and air purifiers.

People who see neighbors setting off fireworks should say something or call police, Chavez said.

“We are all our brother’s keepers,” she said.

On hand for the official warning were city, county and state firefighters and a trio of fire engines that firefighters hoped would see no action on Independence Day, which, in many parts of the Bay Area, has begun to sound like a battle zone.

“The cooperation of residents is essential to reduce risk,” said Hector Estrada, deputy chief of the Santa Clara County Fire Department.

Revelers were given the nowstandard advice to watch firework displays at authorized professional shows or on television. Public fireworks shows are scheduled for Pier 39 in San Francisco, Great America amusement park in Santa Clara, at the Antioch riverfront, at high schools in Gilroy, Cloverdale and Pleasant Hill, and at parks in Sonoma and Vacaville.

Fireworks are illegal throughout Santa Clara County except in Gilroy, where the socalled “safe and sane” variety may be fired off only by residents of that city, according to county fire department spokeswoman Luisa Rapport.

Other counties have sought to crack down on fireworks this year amid the Bay Area’s widespread drought conditions.

In San Mateo County, where fireworks use is illegal throughout the county, supervisors recently voted to increase the fine for their use to $1,000 from $100. In Contra Costa County, the fine is $100 for the first use, $200 for the second use and $500 for subsequent uses.