Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibility
Merced Police and Fire Crack Down on Illegal Fireworks
Bill McEwen updated website photo 2024
By Bill McEwen, News Director
Published 3 years ago on
June 15, 2021

Share

With Merced residents illegally shooting off fireworks at all hours, the city’s police chief and fire chief have launched a crackdown that includes citing property owners.

“It’s not just an annoyance, it’s dangerous,” police chief Thomas Cavallero said last week. “And it’s going to be costly” for offenders.

Citations for igniting bottle rockets and other flying fireworks begin at $1,000.  The owner of the property where fireworks are illegally discharged also can receive a $1,000 citation.

The effort comes with California mired in a drought creating tinderbox conditions throughout the state.

Watch: Merced Police and Fire Chiefs Address Illegal Fireworks

It’s illegal to light even so-called “safe and sane” fireworks in Merced before noon on June 28 and past noon on July 6. But that hasn’t stopped scores of people from setting off barrages of fireworks and firecrackers.

“Every day I hear (fireworks),” fire chief Derek Parker said. “We have to do something about this. … The biggest thing is, we just have to get the fireworks off the street. … It’s about time we took a little different approach.”

Report Illegal Fireworks on Connect Merced App

Cavallero and Parker urge residents to use the Merced Connect app to report illegal fireworks.

The app is free and available at the Apple Store and Google Play. In addition to allowing you to report illegal fireworks, residents can obtain other information about the city’s government.

Merced Fireworks Rules

    • Safe and sane fireworks with the State Fire Marshal seal of approval can only be used from noon June 28 through noon July 6.
    • The non-safe and sane fireworks are illegal year-round, 24-7.
    • If fireworks can leave the ground or go up in the air they are illegal. Illegal fireworks include cherry bombs, bottle rockets, mortars, aerial shells, M-80s, and firecrackers.
    • Illegal fireworks don’t have the seal of approval from the California State Fire Marshal.

RELATED TOPICS:

DON'T MISS

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

DON'T MISS

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

DON'T MISS

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

DON'T MISS

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

DON'T MISS

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

DON'T MISS

Will Terance Frazier’s Nonprofit Exit Granite Park or Fight?

DON'T MISS

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

DON'T MISS

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

DON'T MISS

Beyoncé Makes Grammy History With ‘Cowboy Carter,’ Leading 2025 Nominations

DON'T MISS

Macklin Celebrini, NHL’s Youngest Player, Scores on Marc-Andre Fleury, League’s Oldest

UP NEXT

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

UP NEXT

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

UP NEXT

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

UP NEXT

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

UP NEXT

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

UP NEXT

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

UP NEXT

FBI Thwarts Iranian Murder-for-Hire Plan Targeting Donald Trump

UP NEXT

Wave of Racist Texts After Election Prompts FBI Scrutiny

UP NEXT

Tulare County Man Brutally Killed at Halloween Party, Six Arrested

UP NEXT

City of Fresno Invests in El Dorado Park Upgrades in Maxwell-Led Move

Bill McEwen,
News Director
Bill McEwen is news director and columnist for GV Wire. He joined GV Wire in August 2017 after 37 years at The Fresno Bee. With The Bee, he served as Opinion Editor, City Hall reporter, Metro columnist, sports columnist and sports editor through the years. His work has been frequently honored by the California Newspapers Publishers Association, including authoring first-place editorials in 2015 and 2016. Bill and his wife, Karen, are proud parents of two adult sons, and they have two grandsons. You can contact Bill at 559-492-4031 or at Send an Email

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

3 hours ago

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

4 hours ago

Will Terance Frazier’s Nonprofit Exit Granite Park or Fight?

5 hours ago

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

6 hours ago

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

6 hours ago

Beyoncé Makes Grammy History With ‘Cowboy Carter,’ Leading 2025 Nominations

7 hours ago

Macklin Celebrini, NHL’s Youngest Player, Scores on Marc-Andre Fleury, League’s Oldest

7 hours ago

Ramsey, Beckham Return to SoFi Stadium When the Struggling Dolphins Visit the Streaking Rams

7 hours ago

San Francisco’s First Black Female Mayor Concedes to Levi Strauss Heir

8 hours ago

FBI Thwarts Iranian Murder-for-Hire Plan Targeting Donald Trump

8 hours ago

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

The Foundation for Central Schools hosted its 20th annual Warm for Winter event on Friday at Houghton-Kearney K-8 School. They provided over...

1 hour ago

The Foundation for Central Schools' 20th annual Warm for Winter event provided over 2,500 Central Unified students with spirit sweaters, thanks to community partnerships and generous donors. (Central Foundation)
1 hour ago

Over 2,500 Central Unified Students Receive Spirit Sweaters at 20th Annual ‘Warm for Winter’

2 hours ago

Fresno Police Arrest Gang Members in Shooting Involving 7-Month-Old

2 hours ago

Fresno Team Makes Low-Budget Horror Flicks Look Like Multi-Million-Dollar Productions

Following the results of Tuesday's election, Jada Mevs, a 25-year-old from Washington, D.C., is urging women to take action by signing up for self-defense classes, deleting dating apps, getting on birth control, and investing in vibrators, as part of a growing response to the election of Donald Trump for a second term and the failure of abortion rights referendums. (Shutterstock)
3 hours ago

4B Movement: After the Election, a Call for Women to Swear Off Men

4 hours ago

Homeowners’ Effort to Leave Sierra Unified Ends With County Ed Rejection

5 hours ago

Will Terance Frazier’s Nonprofit Exit Granite Park or Fight?

6 hours ago

Fresno Crash Sends Pickup Into Tree, Dark Tint Cited as Cause

6 hours ago

November Has Scattered Cool Temps, Rain Showers for Fresno

Search

Send this to a friend