LAKE COUNTY? A joint statement “pleading with the public to refrain from use of personal fireworks this year in order to lower the fire hazard for us all” was released Thursday by the Lake County Fire Chiefs Association and the Lake County Air Quality Management District.
“Any additional wildfires, even if they are small, will overburden fire fighters and further degrade our air quality,” according to the release.
The City of Lakeport is the only place in Lake County that will allow the sale and use of “Safe and Sane” fireworks for the Fourth of July holiday, despite concerns that the fireworks should not be used at all while fire danger remains high.
The Walker Fire in Lake County and wildfires throughout the state have fire officials especially concerned, despite a countywide ban on “Safe and Sane” fireworks. While areas covered with brush and grass are always at risk during the height of the fire season, numerous wildfires have resources stretched thin this year.
“We are particularly at risk this year because of the lack of firefighting resources available. We are all going to be commuting to fires in the northern part of the state for several weeks, and if we have another rash of lightning like they are talking about, we”re going to be up against a wall for a month or more,” Kelseyville Fire Chief Howard Strickler said.
Violators can be charged with a misdemeanor for using legal fireworks outside Lakeport city limits, or with a misdemeanor or a felony for using illegal fireworks anywhere, according to Strickler.
Fireworks will be available in Lakeport beginning July 1, according to Mayor Buzz Bruns. He said the city council voted to allow the fireworks several weeks ago, mainly because the fireworks booths bring in the most money for the Boy Scouts throughout the year.
“This is biggest money maker for Boy Scouts, and that”s the criteria we have gone by to try to save these guys and help them make some money. This year is going to be a tough year with all fire and smoke around us. It”s going to be pretty scary for me, too,” Bruns said.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger asked listeners at a Wednesday press conference in Monterey County not to buy fireworks this year, “because it”s just too dry and too dangerous to do those things.”
The problem in Lake County comes when people buy the fireworks at stands in Lakeport and use them outside the city limits, according to Lakeport Fire Protection District Fire Chief Ken Wells. The city designates areas within the city where people can legally use the fireworks.
According to Lakeport municipal code, “Safe and Sane” fireworks can be discharged between noon on June 28 and midnight on July 4. They are allowed on private, semi-private, semi-public and public property. Fireworks are prohibited in city parks, on Natural High School property, on all school grounds, at the Del Lago housing development, and on any vacant lot.
“We have had countless fire injuries over the years. Even with the fireworks ban, we still have a lot of illegal fireworks brought into the county and discharged on the first, third, fourth, fifth and sixth. We see them two and three days before the Fourth and two or three days after,” Strickler said.
Annual, licensed displays in the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake are still on, according to officials.
Contact Tiffany Revelle at trevelle@record-bee.com.
