Fireworks ignite more calls for service between Christmas and New Year’s Eve. The most common calls are for trash, dumpster and house fires.
Mesa Fire Marshal Shawn Alexander says fireworks require plenty of space free of fuel.
“A driveway is a really safe place to do it if you can get far enough away from the house that you're not concerned about sparks landing on the house or any vehicles in the area,” he said. “So we just ask that people clear out the space and make sure that it's not surrounded by fuels that could catch fire if a spark lands on them."
He suggests keeping a bucket of water nearby while using fireworks and always dousing them with water afterwards.
“The fireworks are generally made of paper products and cardboard products and when they have a bunch of sparks that go off, sometimes they'll continue to smolder. And so it's those smoldering fireworks after a shoot is done that get put in the trash and then start trash fires, which oftentimes spread to the homes,” Alexander said.
State law allows consumers to use fountain-style fireworks, sparkling wheel devices and ground spinners between Dec. 26 and Jan. 4. Fireworks that are legal year-round include sparklers, party poppers, snakes and smoker devices. Fireworks that explode or detonate in the air are illegal any time of year in Arizona.
This downloadable poster details which fireworks are legal and illegal.
In Mesa, permissible consumer fireworks are limited to private property with the owner's permission. Residents can report fireworks concerns by calling a non-emergency number 480-644-2211 or emailing [email protected].
Class 1 Misdemeanor penalties in Mesa include a fine of no less than $1,000 and up to $2,500, and a court may impose up to 6 months in jail for:
- Use, possession, or sale of illegal fireworks
- Permissible consumer fireworks sold to anyone under 16, that conflicts with state law, or on prohibited days
- Use of permissible consumer fireworks during Stage 1 or higher fire restriction near protected areas
- Failure to obtain a permit for a supervised public display of fireworks
- Failure to comply with permit and safety requirements of A.R.S. § 36-1603 (permit for public display)
- Three civil violations within 36 months.
