INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – Area police and fire agencies will be developing new strategy to deal with an overwhelming display of illegal fireworks that are sporadically continuing even after the Fourth of July holiday.

In spite of hundreds of citations and the seizure of tons of fireworks, authorities seemed ineffective in curbing those bent on doing their own thing even if celebrating Independence Day wasn’t their real motivation. The consequences were an assortment of grass and tree fires, outbuildings and vehicles damaged, frightened pets and a few reports of injured people.

Exploding fireworks were rocking neighborhoods throughout the Inland Empire weeks before the holiday.

San Bernardino police reported Tuesday they issued 164 citations, made 24 felony arrests, recovered 6 illegal firearms, seized approximately 50.5 pounds of illegal narcotics and over 16,620 pounds of dangerous fireworks were confiscated.

A San Bernardino County Fireworks Interdiction Taskforce announced Tuesday it confiscated approximately 40,000 pounds of dangerous and illegal fireworks leading up to the Fourth of July. The taskforce issued 245 citations resulting in $306,250 in fines.

Authorities say a combination of factors brought those armed with pyrotechnics into their backyards and onto city streets. Public fireworks displays had been cancelled. Cheap imported fireworks were readily available. Many residents were complacent over social distancing while others vented pent- up frustrations over the COVID-19 stay-at-home recommendations.

In Perris, a Neighborhood Watch group submitted petitions asking authorities to enforce ordinances against fireworks in high fire hazard areas and seek fire-fighting cost recovery from those responsible.

Story Date: July 10, 2020