Firework safety in the Desert Southwest

Let the celebration begin as 2018 is right around the corner and while fireworks are being sold all around town, it’s important to know which ones are legal and safe to use.

In the state of Arizona, fountain, spinners, sparklers and paper sparklers are all permitted, however fireworks such as bottle rockets, mortars and roman candles are considered illegal and only allowed if you have a permit. Edith Ruiz of YPD goes into further detail.

“In Arizona, the only legal fireworks are those that are meant to be on the ground or hand held ones. Any fireworks that are intended to rise above ground or detonate in the air are illegal. Legal fireworks that do not leave the ground are still prohibited on public property. In any parks, streets or sidewalks. Those are all prohibited in those areas,” says Ruiz.

As mentioned legal fireworks in Arizona are the ones that don’t leave the ground and while prohibited in public, they are allowed on your own property. If you see anyone light up fireworks that detonate into the air, that is illegal, so you are urged to contact YPD or YCSO if it is beyond city limits. Violators can face up to a $1,000 dollar fine. As for California, the rules are different for each county, but the majority of residents need a permit to ignite fireworks that light up in the air. For more information, you can talk to your local law enforcement.