Sacramento Metro Fire responded to 160 blazes over the holiday this year – a 48% increase over last year – and eight people were injured by illegal fireworks.
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If Sacramento is anything like Modesto, it sounds like a war zone on the 4th and the days leading up to it. The cops are not going to race from house to house arresting people for setting off fireworks. You might get a ticket or arrested if they happen to turn the corner and see you setting them off in the middle of the road, but that's about it.
It's funny, but in California where damned near anything that throws a spark or makes a boom is illegal, it's a constant barrage of noise but here in Tennessee where damned near everything as far as fireworks goes is legal, I've heard them exactly once and that was my neighbors across the road setting them off for their young grandchild right after they moved here.
Lafayette has a display every year, but I've yet to go to it.
Every year, my home village has a Fourth of July fireworks display in the park at the south end of town. It's hosted by the Lions Club, and is a chance for the whole village to gather on blankets and hang out. The fire department tosses candy and glow sticks for the kids from their rigs, and everybody has a good time. At the exit, the Lions pass the hat to fund next year's fireworks.
ReplyDeleteFFWD to new village, went to fireworks, no nice park, dusty fairgrounds crowded with 10k people from surrounding county, lots of ferals acting out, and everyone being herded by LE. We just went back to our car and left.
Regulations make some people fee good, but don't stop shit when humans are involved. Look at the number of gun related crimes in major cities with laws that prohibit firearm possession by almost everyone except the cops and politically connected
ReplyDeleteEvery Fourth, here in NE Nebraska the city of Norfolk has a celebration called Big Bang Boom that is really something. Before and after that goes off there are all kinds of similar displays around the countryside for several nights though much smaller but they go on until long after midnight. The dollars blown up that night for entertainment are incredible.
ReplyDeleteNorfolk - originally Norfork, as in North Fork of the nearby river. The folks in DC decided the local yokels didn't know how to spell and made Norfolk the "official" name. You might still find people there referring to Norfork instead of using the government approved name.
DeleteSpeaking of fireworks in California, I wonder if the LAPD ever replaced their Total Containment Vessel, so their mathematically challenged Bomb Squad members can try blowing up another beautiful tricked-out Peterbilt.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 2020 lockdown the local authorities cancelled all commercial firework shows on July 4. It seems that they totally failed to understand the true meaning of Independence Day. The result was a joy to watch.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIvdcdogC6k&ab_channel=Attractions360%C2%B0
I live in NC and when I moved here I never heard anything like it. Fireworks would start at dusk on the 3rd and continue to dawn on the 5th. It'd be all around me and pretty continuous. Even during the day I'd hear some going off. Last 4th, barely anything, people just didn't have the money I guess. -sammy
ReplyDeleteSame here.
DeleteDuring Trump years, fireworks were large and frequent. Now I guess they need the money to buy gas and food.
Took a trip back east a while back. I stopped to get fuel in Missouri and couldn't believe the fireworks selection at the store. Being born and raised in the Peoples Republic of California, I couldn't wait to give the ladies at the counter my money. There only question was if I was from Missouri. If so I needed to fill out a form stating I wouldn't light them off in the state. Mine are for New Years Eve up in the mountains.
ReplyDeleteThe 4th is pretty quiet up here. You’ll get the newbies settin things off but that’s about it. Not much point in it when it doesn’t get dark. New Year’s is like a bad day in Baghdad tho. Broke out the windshield of my truck setting of fireworks from the truck bed one year when it was 50 below.
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