Happy Fourth of July!
Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, and although it’s on a Wednesday this year, we anticipate much celebration throughout the Inland Empire. And why not? It’s the anniversary of our country’s official birth!
Of course, we’re going to give you some advice and a few warnings in this post, but you must expect that by now! Just because we help people by restoring their homes after fires doesn’t mean we want people to accidentally burn their house down with fireworks or the grill after an Independence Day barbecue!
Yes, there are cities in Inland Empire where you can buy legal, state-approved fireworks and set them off in a controlled environment (i.e. no tying fireworks to the cat’s tail or throwing them in your neighbors’ yard). Of course, that won’t stop people from buying them in one city and setting them off in a city where they’re not legal, but we will let the police deal with those miscreants.
But before you consider crossing that city line, think about this: The fines are $5,000 and up to a year in jail. And keep an eye on your kids, as you as parents can be liable for their illegal-firework activities!
“There is no excuse for breaking the law when it comes to fireworks. Californians have plenty of ways to safely celebrate the Fourth of July without using bottle rockets, aerial shells and other bootlegged, illegal pyrotechnics that can cause devastating injuries and damage property,” said Tonya Hoover, California State Fire Marshal. “If you are someone who thinks using illegal fireworks are exciting or someone who is trying to make a profit from selling illegal fireworks, we are determined to stop you.”
Here are firework-friendly cities in Riverside and San Bernardino counties:
Riverside County
- Blythe
- Cathedral City
- Coachella
- Desert Hot Springs
- Indio
San Bernardino County
- Adelanto
- Barstow
- Chino
- Colton
- Fontana
- Grand Terrace
- Rialto
- San Bernardino
For more information about state-approved fireworks and the California Fireworks Safety & Education Program, please click here.
If you don’t want to bother with your own fireworks, and would rather watch some pretty displays tomorrow, here’s our shortlist. The full list can be found by clicking here.
- Corona: Santana Park, starts at 8:30 p.m. 598 Santana Way
- Rancho Cucamonga: Rancho Cucamonga Epicenter at 6p.m., 8408 Rochester Ave.
- Riverside: Evergreen Cemetery at 14th St. and Pine, fireworks start at dusk.
Have a safe and wonderful Fourth of July celebration!
Image(s): FreeDigitalPhotos.net