City Officials Talk Tough About Anti-Fireworks Enforcement, Prosecution; Urge Safety and Fire Prevention

This is the driest year in California’s recorded history. Fireworks are illegal in the City of Pasadena. If you use fireworks and get caught the city could fine you and file felony charges against you.

That’s a bottomline synopsis of the messages from Pasadena’s fire and police chiefs and city prosecutor Thursday at a Rose Bowl press conference.

“Pasadena is a ‘No fireworks’ city,” said Interim Police Chief Jason Clawson. “No fireworks are okay, no sparklers, none of that. This is a year when we need to ask the public to have some personal responsibility, to follow the rules of law, to follow guidelines, and follow safety.”

Clawson pointed out that the city is staging its own AmericaFest fireworks show at the Rose Bowl July 4 and recommended that families attend that event instead of lighting fireworks at home.

“That fireworks show is permitted,” he said, “It’s staffed by professionals, and there are a lot of safety mechanisms in place to prevent accidents from occuring.”

“Don’t allow your kids,” Clawson added, “don’t allow your neighbors to operate fireworks, because it’s not a safe environment and it’s very unpredictable.”

Clawson also noted that the police department would be doing “prevention, intervention, and enforcement,” but said, “We don’t want to do enforcement, we want [people] to utilize personal responsibility.”

But if you do use fireworks, ‘We will come after you. We will issue citations. You may face felony charges.”

Pasadena Chief Prosecutor Michael Dowd went further, explaining that since 2018, the City has implemented one of the strictest anti-fireworks laws in the state.

‘This includes going after not only the people who are setting off the fireworks, but going after the people who are allowing fireworks on their property, “ he said.

Since the law has been in place, the City has issued more than 175 citations, seized more than 650 pounds of fireworks, and collected more than $40,000 in fines.

“The fact is that this city takes this very seriously,” said Dowd. “Especially in these drought conditions, and the fire conditions that we are experiencing. This ordinance will be strictly enforced. Anyone who in fact, is in possession, uses or discharges a firework, or has that done on their property, will be held accountable.”

Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin said the severe drought creates the potential for devastating fires.

“As we enter another year of high heat, severe drought conditions, and a potential for devastating wildfires, today’s efforts are extremely important,” Augustin said.

He said that so far this year the Pasadena Fire Department has performed more than 4,000 inspections in high hazard areas and has worked with City staff to clear additional brush and dying debris in other high fire areas.

The City has also committed multiple resources to work with businesses to clear additional vacant lots of fire dangers.

“All of these actions have been done to reduce the threat of fires and wildfire danger,” said Chief Augustin. “Regardless, the hills are still full of grass and other debris, and are at risk for a devastating wildfire.”

“Therefore,” he added, “especially during the Fourth of July, we must be vigilant and continue to take preventative measures, to protect ourselves and our families and our friends and our pets from injuries and fatalities that can occur, related to fireworks.”

Following the press conference, Pasadena Fire Department trucks sprayed about 16,000 gallons of fire the retardant Phos-Chek, a mixture of phosphates and fertilizer, on nearby lower hillsides surrounding the Rose Bowl.

Applying the long-term fire retardant is a preventive measure “to mitigate potential hazards during the 4th of July weekend,” the Fire Department said in a statement.
The clear chemical now coats the brush areas surrounding the Rose Bowl, which helps keep trees and grassland from burning.