Should Fireworks be Made Completely Illegal in CA?

Is it just me, or does it seem like Fireworks are legal again? I felt like the only person in my entire neighborhood who wasn't shooting exploding rockets up into the air. I've noticed that each year, more and more people are setting off fireworks and more and more people are setting off the variety that I'm really really not cool with... the short range exploding rockets.

I like fireworks.

Yes, they have a bit of danger, but I don't think the risk outweighs the fun!

As you mentioned -- there were fireworks everywhere and I did not read of much problems.

I read somewhere in the paper that, on average, 11 people will be killed by fireworks each year. That is not good, of course, but it is small with the population of 350 million I think. With a big population there will always be big 'numbers' -- I believe 5,000 people a year die from the flu for example.

It's not that I think that Fireworks are a problem because people get killed or injured with them, which rarely happens as you pointed out. I also don't have a problem with things like firecrackers, but the stuff that shoots sparks up high or needs to be launched into the sky are real fire hazards.

This is a drought prone state and there's often a lot of dead greenry that can catch on fire. Just add alcohol and a little wind and there will be enough people who are going to set something off in an ill advised way.

When I was in college, one of my roommates set our four story house on fire by being careless with a cigarette. He actually thought he put it out, but there were still some glowing embers. I was the only other person awake at that time of night and had to direct the house evacuation and I've been pretty sensitive about the potential for things to catch fire ever since then.

Things are definitely catching on fire around 4th of July too. I live on a well traveled street so I get to hear a lot of fire engines rushing past. It wasn't as bad as last year, but there were still a few red engine sirens punctuating the night. Last year, there seemed to be several engines a day that went past my house for about a week straight.

I've gotten a lot better around flame over time, but the sound of fire engines still bother me a lot.

'Beating a Dead Horse'...three firemen from the Campbell station of Central Fire came into the gallery today.

I had to ask "How was the 4th this year, any problems?" They said no, the only fireworks related call was a burning tree (and the firemen said when they got there that the people there said they had no idea how it happened!)

They said almost all of their calls are service (medical) calls.

I agree with you, Sheldon. While I enjoy professional fireworks displays, and I can see how setting off fireworks can be fun for kids and adults alike, I think they are a fire and safety hazard. There is a reason that they are illegal in most parts of the county. I think especially since it's fire season, fireworks pose a more dangerous threat than usual. Accidents happen and it's always better to err on the side of caution.

In addition, the kind that people set off are usually higher on the side of noise (which is annoying and could be considered noise pollution) than cool visual effects. People set them off at all times of day or night too. I heard some go off at 2 am on the day after the 4th, and I heard some go off several days leading up to the 4th.

There are too many people doing stupid things like this, 3 shot to death in dispute over fireworks, police say. There's also the Michigan woman who basically committed unplanned suicide in front of her fiance and 3 small kids. If you want to risk your life, that’s fine. But risking the lives and property of others is not okay.

QUOTE (stone @ Jul 8 2007, 02:54 PM)

the only fireworks related call was a burning tree (and the firemen said when they got there that the people there said they had no idea how it happened!)

Let's make a wild guess at how that tree caught fire....

I don't want to be a party pooper, but we're a state in a chronic drought situation and as we've seen in Southern California, we're a state with an annual fire problem that seems to be on the rise. I'm all for people having their personal liberties, but in the right conditions, those personal liberties begin to look like selfishness at the expense of a greater welfare. If you heard it, Schwartzenegger was making public announcements leading up to July 4th to please put the fireworks away because the state's fire resources were already stretched.

It's greener up here than it is in Southern California, but if we end up having to goto water rationing in the coming years, there will be plenty of dry vegetation that won't need a lot of encouragement to burn.

Besides the obvious safety and property issues, fires are a drain on state resources. Those are in short supply these days too.

The stuff that goes launching up in the air doesn't always finish burning before it hits the ground. I used to live next to Great America and we saw lots of spectacular fireworks shows there year after year. One year there was a bit of a wind and someone may have also screwed something up because I remember a lot more debris raining down on our house than usual including the occasional glowing debris.

Then there's the mess they can make. If you've ever seen the beaches in Santa Cruz on July 5th, you'll know exactly what I mean.