Yolo County increases fine for illegal fireworks use to $1,000 per violation
WOODLAND — One month out from the July 4 holiday, Yolo County is cracking down on illegal fireworks use.
At Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting, the Board unanimously approved amendments to the county's illegal fireworks for the first time in nearly 25 years.
What used to be a first-time violation of only $100 for illegal firework use in unincorporated parts of the county is now ramped up to $1,000 per firework violation, ten times higher.
The move follows in the steps of the City of Woodland, which the county consulted as it worked to adopt its new ordinance. Woodland implemented the new $1,000 fine last year.
The city's fire and police departments both call it a success, saying the steep fines send a strong message and keep people safe on one of their busiest nights of the year: July 4.
"We don't want to have to, between us and the fire department, respond to people significantly injured or, in the case we had several years ago, an entire house burn down," said Sgt. Ryan Bowler with the Woodland Police Department.
Woodland PD also ramped up their enforcement with the ramped-up fine.
The Nail 'Em app allows neighbors to anonymously report nearby illegal firework usage, which prevents those calls from tying up police dispatch lines.
Woodland PD also started warning homeowners with door hangers to let them know a potential violation had been observed before issuing a citation.
Anything that is not considered a "safe and sane" firework is illegal in the city of Woodland. The department reports they've already seen illegal fireworks popping off this week.
"Last year, we did utilize our drone team on the 4th of July, which was beneficial to see where the fireworks were coming from," said Bowler. "We are expanding our drone team in general as a department, so having the opportunity to go out and help with the enforcement of this is critical to the mission of preserving property and preserving lives if somebody is significantly injured."
On July 4, 2024, Woodland PD says it issued 33 illegal firework citations, totaling over $110,000 in fines.
That does not include a
The new fines are helping the city reduce fire risk.
"I think it does make a difference. It's decreased calls into our dispatch center, we've been able to catch people in the act and in the process of," said Bowler.
Yolo County's crackdown comes as fire season is in full force. The perfect example came Tuesday when a fast-moving fire near E Kentucky Ave. and County Road 102.
It's a picture of what they are trying to prevent now, one month out from July 4, when fireworks can spark unintentional fires that can rapidly spread out of control.
Yolo County's new ordinance goes a step further than bumping up the fine. It also bans "safe and sane" fireworks in the county's fire risk zones labeled "high" and "very high" risk as designated by Cal Fire. much of the county west of Esparto falls into that category.
"I think it'll be good for the rural fire departments also," said Matt Flint, Woodland's Fire Marshal.
Flint says one year in, the city's stricter fines have been a success story.
"We saw a dramatic decrease in fires and also grass fires, calls for service," said Flint. "It's an exciting time that Woodland is being a pioneer in firework safety."
Yolo County's new crackdown ordinance is expected to be in effect by the July 4 holiday.
"Yolo County is committed to protecting public safety and preventing wildfires during the high-risk summer months, and throughout the year. The increased fines in the updated fireworks ordinance sends a clear message that illegal fireworks are not only dangerous but carry serious consequences. By increasing the penalty and reminding the public that even 'Safe and Sane' fireworks are prohibited in fire-prone areas, the County is taking a proactive step to reduce fire risk, protect our communities, and support the efforts of local fire agencies and first responders," a county spokesperson told CBS13 in a statement.
Woodland PD says residents can report illegal fireworks to their designated email line at [email protected] and on the Nail 'Em app.
