This Fourth of July, Hollister was ablaze with illegal
fireworks. They were bursting in air from early in the day to well
past midnight
– not to mention the days leading up to the holiday. And some
old-timers say they can’t recall a time when it was worse.
This Fourth of July, Hollister was ablaze with illegal fireworks. They were bursting in air from early in the day to well past midnight – not to mention the days leading up to the holiday. And some old-timers say they can’t recall a time when it was worse.
As a result, the City Council briefly discussed raising the $162 fine for shooting off illegal fireworks.
But raising the fine alone isn’t going to dampen people’s enthusiasm for flashy fireworks. Enforcement of the law is the only way to snuff that fuse.
On July 4, the city was kept running as more than 100 calls for illegal fireworks came pouring in. Yet, only eight to 10 tickets were issued, according to Fire Chief Bill Garringer. The city focused on confiscating them – officials nabbed about 80 pounds of illegal fireworks – because of the high number of calls to attend to.
“We confiscated as much as we could … but we didn’t touch 1 percent of it,” Garringer said.
The city needs to send the message that illegal fireworks won’t be tolerated. The way to do that is to raise the fine until it is painful and then to hand out tickets. Once several people get nailed with steep fines, the word will spread like, well, wildfire.
Failing to control illegal fireworks could have serious consequences.
First of all, the fireworks – ones that shoot into the air and explode – are illegal for good reason. They can land on a roof or in weeds and shrubs and ignite a blaze. In fact, a shed at El Torro and Hillcrest streets was burnt to the ground, likely set by a bottle rocket, Friday morning before July 4. Six small vegetation fires also were started over the weekend. Even the fire chief’s unmarked car was hit by a bottle rocket.
Secondly, we fear if illegal fireworks continue to be a problem, the City Council someday may consider whether to ban all fireworks in Hollister – even the Safe and Sane variety. That would be a true loss. Not only are they fun, but the sale of Safe and Sane Fireworks provides revenue for local nonprofit organizations.
So, before there is a tragic fire or law-abiding residents have Safe and Sane fireworks taken away, the city needs to bring this fireworks free-for-all to an end. That means handing out tickets with stiff penalties.
To respond to this editorial or comment on this issue, please send or bring letters to Editor, Hollister Free Lance, 350 Sixth St., Hollister, Calif. 95023 e-mail to [email protected]
