No less a patriot than the governor himself is asking Californians to forgo home fireworks this July 4 -- although he expects the charities that sell them will scream like a Piccolo Pete.
With several hundred wildfires charring the state, Gov. Schwarzenegger asked people to skip the pyrotechnics this exceptionally dry year. He spoke Wednesday at a news conference in Big Sur, near the Basin Complex fire that has burned about 19,100 acres.
"I know that the people who are selling all this stuff are going to go crazy now when I say this, but don't buy any of the fireworks," the governor said.
"You would help the fire department and the state and law enforcement and everyone a tremendous amount," he continued, "if you want to contribute and make sure that those fires go away and we don't have more fires coming up. So be careful. Don't buy the fireworks, don't go out and play with fireworks, because it's just too dry and too dangerous to do those things."
The governor has not decided whether to declare a state of emergency and impose a ban on fireworks sales, said spokesman Aaron McLear. Typically, local jurisdictions make decisions about fireworks sales.
Nonprofit organizations throughout Stanislaus County, such as Little League baseball teams, schools and churches, raise a lot of money each summer selling legal fireworks, said Jim Trost, owner of USA Elite Gymnastics in Modesto.
"People start fires, not fireworks," he said. "Lightning strikes start more fires than fireworks."
Trost said it's wrong for the governor to ask Californians not to buy fireworks.
"That would definitely hurt our program," Trost said. "This is our biggest fund-raiser. You can't take that away from the kids."
For 32 years, USA Elite Gymnastics team has sold fireworks to raise money for uniforms and competition fees. Trost said $10,000 was raised last year, and team members plan to sell fireworks again this year at a booth at Roselle and Sylvan avenues.
Focus on illegal fireworks
Fireworks vendors in Stanislaus County are allowed to sell fireworks for seven days leading up to the Fourth of July. This year, sales start Saturday.
The Modesto Fire Department issued 70 permits for legal fireworks sales, and about 90 percent of the permits were issued to nonprofit organizations, said Modesto Fire Chief Jim Miguel.
He said he understands the governor's concerns. He also said many community fund-raisers would be adversely affected by a decline in legal fireworks sales.
"Our first focus should be illegal fireworks," Miguel said. "Safe and Sane fireworks are not the driving force behind the Fourth of July problems we have here."
"Safe and sane" fireworks carry the state fire marshal's seal and do not move across the ground, fly in the air or explode.
Illegal fireworks include bottle rockets, Roman candles and firecrackers. Wooden shake roofs are especially vulnerable to catching fire from fireworks that leave the ground.
Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson called the governor's request well intentioned.
"We're right in the middle of all these fires that are literally depleting resources throughout the state," Christianson said. "My message is: Let's be careful."
Asking residents not to buy fireworks, however, is a tall order when there are fireworks vending booths throughout the county, Christianson said.
"I'm sure people are still going to go out and buy them," he said.
Christianson agreed with Miguel, saying law enforcement and firefighting officials need to stop people from launching illegal fireworks.
Increasing fines, penalties
Representatives of the Stanislaus County Fireworks Safety Task Force plan to announce in a news conference this morning in Modesto that they will target the users and sellers of illegal fireworks with increased fines and penalties, including a minimum $750 fine in Modesto.
Recent legislation requires that in addition to fines or jail time, violators will have to reimburse the state for the costs of transportation and disposal of illegal fireworks.
The governor has not decided whether to declare a state of emergency and impose a ban on fireworks sales, said spokesman Aaron McLear. Such a statewide ban would be unusual. Typically, local jurisdictions make decisions about fireworks sales.
About 700 fires were burning across the state. Two are in Monterey County, with the state's largest east of Big Sur. It is 71 percent contained after scorching 92 square miles. The other is a mile south of Big Sur and 3 percent contained.
The governor also stopped in Butte County, where 27 fires were threatening 1,000 homes. The blazes were only 5 percent contained.
A blaze in the Shasta-Trinity National Forest remains a threat to about 1,200 homes.
Bee staff writer Rosalio Ahumada can be reached at rahumada@modbee.com or 578-2394.
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