{"id":19118,"date":"2025-06-27T13:09:10","date_gmt":"2025-06-27T13:09:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/19118\/"},"modified":"2025-06-27T13:09:10","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T13:09:10","slug":"illegal-fireworks-targeted-in-phoenix-before-4th-of-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/19118\/","title":{"rendered":"Illegal fireworks targeted in Phoenix before 4th of July"},"content":{"rendered":"

PHOENIX \u2014 The city of Phoenix is cranking up efforts to crack down on illegal fireworks ahead of the Fourth of July.<\/p>\n

The city\u2019s police and fire departments have formed a joint task force to raise awareness of the dangers of fireworks.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn 2023, the Phoenix Fire Department saw a more than 700% increase in fire-related calls on the July 4 holiday compared to our non-holiday averages. This dramatic spike caused us to take action,\u201d Assistant Fire Chief Eric Williams said during a demonstration on Tuesday.<\/p>\n

Williams said the city orchestrated a media outreach campaign last year, which contributed to a 37% reduction in fireworks-related fires year-over-year. This new task force is a continuation of those efforts.<\/p>\n

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\u2014 Colton Krolak (@ColtonKrolak) June 26, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Williams said the task force is also scaling up inspections of sales locations. While inspections used to be conducted only after someone filed a complaint, the city plans to inspect every vendor and confiscate any illegal fireworks they find this year. So far, 200 stores have been inspected.<\/p>\n

How to identify illegal fireworks in Arizona<\/p>\n

Sales for next week\u2019s holiday started Tuesday and run through July 6. The city has a webpage<\/a> explaining the do\u2019s and don\u2019ts of fireworks in Arizona.<\/p>\n

Snakes, sparklers, ground spinners are all legal for public use. Anything else, leave to the professionals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Police Lt. Brian Rimsza said, in general, if a firework shoots into the air or makes a loud boom, it is illegal. That includes bottle rockets, roman candles and firecrackers.<\/p>\n

\u201cEvery year, we see people injured, we see people who lose their homes and are displaced. The Fourth of July is the number one day where pets go missing because of loud explosions. We have vulnerable populations in our community, and so it\u2019s important we take into account everyone that\u2019s impacted by prohibited use fireworks,\u201d Rimsza said.<\/p>\n

During Tuesday\u2019s demonstration, the Phoenix Fire Department showed how quickly house fire can start if a firework isn\u2019t thrown away properly.<\/p>\n

Experts recommend soaking used fireworks in water for 24 hours before throwing them away to prevent a fire from starting in your trashcan that can quickly spread.<\/p>\n

We want to hear from you.<\/p>\n

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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