Proposed Ordinance Would Crack Down on Illegal Pyrotechnics
Sacramento County is thinking about being proactive due to the high risk of wildfires by cracking down on illegal fireworks long before the 4th of July celebration. A host ordinance is being proposed by the county supervisors that will hold property owners responsible for any use of illegal fireworks, whether they knew about it or should have known it was occurring. Cities such as Sacramento, Elk Grove, Citrus Heights, and Folsom already have these rules in place, and this would make it countywide.
Illegal Pyrotechnic Ordinance Would Go Into Effect June 24
The ordinance proposal is scheduled for May 10 and is expected to be approved. It will receive its final approval from the county supervisors on May 24, well ahead of the Independence Day celebration. The ordinance becomes effective on June 24, which includes fines for violations. A first-time violation would mean a fine of $1,000. If there is another offense within the first year, the fine becomes $2,500. Beyond that, additional violations within that year will cost the offender $5,000.
Penalties for Illegal Fireworks Would Include More Than Fines
Penalties for shooting off illegal pyrotechnics don’t stop with fines. The offending property owner would have to pay the costs of law enforcement or others who respond to an illegal firework being shot off on private property and be a misdemeanor charge.
One County Supervisor Suggests Much Larger Fines for Illegal Fireworks
Legal fireworks are not affected, but their use is limited to between June 28 and July 5. Pyrotechnics that explode or go into the air are illegal. If sheriff’s deputies see the fireworks go off, a witness does, or there is video evidence available that provides proof of the illegal activity. One of the supervisors suggested including a much higher fine schedule such as $10,000 for each violation of the illegal fireworks ordinance inside the American River Parkway because of the high risk of wildfire.
High Number of Sacramento County Fires Caused by Illegal Pyrotechnics
In 2021, 76 fires were reported on July 4, which led to 120 investigations and 30 that involved fireworks, according to Metro Fire and the Sheriff’s Office. Twenty-three of those 30 fires caused by fireworks were due to those that were illegal. The numbers were even higher in 2020, which showed 82 fires with 36 caused by fireworks, 29 of the incidents involved those that were illegal.
Fire and Burn Injuries
Due to the ongoing drought and dried-out fire fuels, the risk increases for larger and faster-spreading blazes that could potentially devastate communities and the surrounding area. Serious burns caused by fires require extensive treatment because they are complex injuries. As well as the burn injury itself, there may be other effects. The injury can affect the muscles, blood vessels, bones or nerves. In the respiratory system, airways may be blocked by smoke inhalation and the lungs affected by the minute particles, leading to a wide range of consequences, some of them deadly.
Seeking the Help of a Burn Injury Lawyer
By engaging the help of a Sacramento burn injury lawyer, someone who has suffered burns due to negligence may file a claim to recover damages. The recovery of compensation includes lost wages, all medical costs, and pain and suffering.
Burn treatment and rehabilitation can be long and costly, while those types of devastating injuries can affect a person’s ability to work in the future. Recovering compensation can help someone with burn injuries heal with the peace of mind of knowing they will not be overwhelmed with the financial drain.
Sacramento Burn Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, a Sacramento burn injury lawyer. Burn injuries can be life-changing and often require reconstructive surgeries and extensive care. For free and friendly legal advice concerning burn injuries caused by negligence, contact us at (916) 921-6400 or (800) 404-5400. We can set up a free review of your case, either in person or virtually, let you know what options are available to recover compensation and answer any questions you might have. You can also connect with us online.
Take a look at how our experienced team of injury lawyers has helped many people over the years:
Among the groups we belong to are the following, of which we are especially proud:
Photo attribution: Image by nck_gsl from Pixabay
:cd llo [746]