(McKinleyville, Arcata, CA)– The Arcata Fire District is working with the Humboldt County Sherriff’s Office, Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, Arcata Police Department, State Fire Marshal’s Office, and CAL FIRE Prevention this Fourth of July to reduce and enforce the use of illegal fireworks in McKinleyville and Arcata areas.

Arcata Fire District is asking the community to call 911 regarding the use of illegal fireworks, ONLY if there is imminent danger to person, property, or if a fire has started. Please do not call 911 if you hear a loud boom, or see illegal fireworks being used in the distance. There are a limited number of resources assigned to this enforcement and we do not want to inundate the 911 system with nuisance calls that can’t be located due to lack of specific information.

The goal of this joint effort is to provide targeted patrols in communities where there have been a lot of illegal fireworks in previous years. Officers and Deputies from local law enforcement are specifically looking for anyone using illegal fireworks. If a person is in possession of illegal fireworks or found using illegal fireworks, they will be cited and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.

Chief Campbell reports, “We will not be able to stop all use of illegal fireworks that occur but we hope to reduce it through enforcement and word of mouth when someone is charged and prosecuted. We ask the community to secure their pets and only call 911 if there is immediate danger to their safety. Law enforcement will be doing their best to track down those using illegal fireworks so they can be cited, and the fireworks can be confiscated.”

The Fourth of July is a busy time for 911 dispatchers, using 911 should be reserved for true emergencies. Calling 911 to report a neighbor lighting off firecrackers down the street should not be considered an emergency.

Arcata Fire is asking everyone in the community to be extremely safe and to be a good neighbor this Fourth of July Holiday.