Fontana, Calif.– It’s no longer fire season in California – it’s fire year. Due to high fire hazards and risk of injury, the City of Fontana Police Department and San Bernardino County Fire Department is working to prevent the use of illegal fireworks through an educational outreach campaign from June 3, 2019, to July 5, 2019.

The Say No to Illegal Fireworks Awareness and Enforcement Campaign will include a series of fire and law enforcement operations to stop attempts towards the use, sale and possession of illegal fireworks. The campaign also includes public service announcements, digital billboard ads on the 10 and 210 freeways and movie preview ads playing before all movies at Regency Fontana 8 from June 14 to July 4. Expect to see social media posts, banners throughout the city, and Say No to Illegal Fireworks magnets on Police Department patrol cars and city-owned vehicles.

The Fontana Police Department is strictly enforcing fireworks-related violations. Fines for possession and use of illegal fireworks range from $2,500 to $10,000.

“In 2018, California saw its worst fire season in the state’s history. Due to the destruction caused by wildfires, we’re not taking any chances,” states Fontana Police Department Sergeant Kellen Guthrie. “Fontana officers will be heavily enforcing fireworks-related offenses.”

Fireworks not in direct control of the operator or that explode, shoot into the air, move along the ground and are not approved by the California State Fire Marshal are deemed dangerous, and are illegal everywhere in the state of California.

In 2018, San Bernardino County Fire Department Office of the Fire Marshal, in cooperation with law enforcement, seized over 60,000 lbs of illegal fireworks in the county. “Since May 2019 we have already seized 4,000 lbs,” shares Fire Marshal Mike Horton.

Residents who plan on purchasing fireworks must purchase Safe and Sane fireworks. Sale of these fireworks are permitted only from 12:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. on June 28, and from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily on June 29 through July 5. Safe and Sane fireworks can only be used between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on the days which these fireworks are sold.

While Safe and Sane fireworks are allowed within the majority of Fontana’s city limits, all fireworks including Safe and Sane are prohibited in Fontana’s high fire hazard area. Per municipal code section 15-616, property in the city north of Summit Avenue, west of I-15 and east of Lytle Creek Road is deemed a high fire hazard area. To find out if you live in Fontana’s high fire hazard area, where all fireworks are prohibited, visit the City of Fontana’s fireworks information web page www.fontana.org/fireworks to view the boundary map.

“Public safety is, and will always be, the top priority for the City of Fontana. We strive to meet our residents’ public safety expectations, and using illegal fireworks is not worth the expensive fines and hospital bills. Celebrate responsibly and leave the fireworks to the professionals,” urges Mayor Acquanetta Warren.

The City of Fontana invites everyone to attend its 4th of July Celebration at Fontana High School on Thursday, July 4, 2019. The event will be filled with food vendors, activities for all ages, and a performance from Kalimba, The Spirit of Earth Wind and Fire. Gates open at 5:00 p.m., with a spectacular fireworks show lighting up the summer sky at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are $6 and go on sale Monday, June 10, 2019, at the following locations:

• Community Services Department  – 16860 Valencia Avenue
• Don Day Neighborhood Center – 14501 Live Oak Avenue
• Fontana City Hall – 8353 Sierra Avenue
• Jessie Turner Health & Fitness Center – 15556 Summit Avenue

To report the use of illegal fireworks, call the Fontana Police Department at (909) 350-7700 or WeTip hotline at 1-800-47-Arson. For more information about the use of fireworks visit www.fontana.org/fireworks or call the Fireworks Information Line at (909) 356-7101.