Jul 4, 2008

Wildfires cast smoky backdrop on fireworks

Police and fire out in force this weekend

By Shelby Martin / Bay Area News Group

As blazes in Big Sur cast a menacing red glare, some Bay Area cities are stepping up their safety precautions in anticipation of Fourth of July fireworks.

"We'll be out in force," said Lt. Ed Gluhan of the Watsonville police. The city will have a zero-tolerance policy for illicit fireworks.

"Some people who have gotten warnings in the past may not be so lucky this year,'' he said.

For the first time, Watsonville police can give out citations for "safe and sane'' devices like fountains and sparklers, since the city council forbade all fireworks this year. Fines range from $100 to $800.

Fire Prevention Officer Kirt Vojvoda said firefighters and police officers will probably perform more confiscations than citations, since proving pyrotechnic possession is often problematic.

"People are going to see the big red fire engine coming, and they'll just walk away'' from their stash, Vojvoda said. "If we ask, 'Whose fireworks are these?' I don't think anyone will raise their hand.''

In Pacifica, city officials are more aggressive about handing out citations. On the beach, "we can sneak around and find people,'' said Police Chief Dave Bertini.

Due to this year's fire danger, the city of Pacifica has added a $1,000 fine for illegal fireworks this year, as well as setting an 11 p.m. curfew tonight for the use of "safe and sane" fireworks.

"We have signs in almost every business,'' Bertini said. "We have lawn signs. We have two electronic signs at both ends of the town that say '$1,000 fine for illegal fireworks.'"

Bertini said, "Everyone in the department works (tonight). Days off and holidays are canceled.''

Also calling up extra manpower this year is the Santa Clara County Fire Department, which serves Campbell, Cupertino, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, Morgan Hill and Saratoga.

Citing the holiday weekend, the change in weather and the depletion of CAL FIRE resources by wildfires across the state, Deputy Chief of Operations Ken Kehmna said the county would be sending out four additional patrols in vehicles he likened to "off-road fire engines.''

In Mountain View, the annual fireworks show at the Shoreline Amphitheatre will get an extra water tanker and more police officers.

"It's a dryer season,'' said Dan Nitzan with Pyro Spectaculars, which is running the aerial extravaganza. He said police will keep an eye out for spectators who bring their own fireworks, illegally lighting them on a hill near the amphitheater.

Operators of many public fireworks shows say increased fire danger hasn't forced them to alter the pyrotechnics themselves.
However, organizers of Spirit of America Show at Church on the Hill in San Jose said they've trimmed bushes to avoid any accidental flare-ups.

Not all cities are making big changes. Jermaine Thomas, spokesperson for the San Jose Police Department, said tonight would be "like any given Friday night," a sentiment echoed by Lt. Phil Cooke of the Santa Clara Police Department.

In Santa Clara, "we don't have any wild land, so there's no danger of brush fires,'' explained Deputy Chief Bill Kelly.

Craig Schwinge, spokesperson for the San Jose Fire Department, said there will be "augmented staffing" in the fire department this weekend, but that is not new this year. In San Jose, all personal fireworks are illegal, but Schwinge said busy firefighters don't chase down all showers of sparks.

"Our greatest priority is life and property,'' he said.

The concern over fireworks has sparked at least one other change this year: consternation at a Watsonville Target.

Vojvoda said since the city banned all fireworks, he's been getting lots of phone calls about potential fireworks sales at stores like Target and Safeway.

The devices in question are party poppers packaged to look like fireworks.

"They're legal to sell," Vojvoda said. Employees of
Watsonville Target heard so many complaints from confused customers that they pulled the party poppers off the shelves.

Vojvoda ended up printing a statement for the store saying "these are not fireworks."