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Customers place an order at a fireworks stand in Grass Valley.
A recent City Council-mandated process reviewed Grass Valley ordinances related to fireworks sales. Citizens' comments in The Union run 10 to 1 in favor of more restrictions on fireworks as a tactic to reduce wildfire.
Local service clubs and youth organizations rake in revenue from fireworks sales and are resisting any change in current fireworks ordinances. But a vote for lower wildfire risk does not equal a change of heart toward service clubs. A Grass Valley City Council meeting will consider this issue Tuesday, March 25. For more details, see fireworksanity.blogspot.com/.
Here are specific recommendations for the City Council and Fire Chief Jim Marquis:
This proposal is not a call to end public displays of fireworks lighted by professionals at any time of year. The July 4th fireworks show staged at the Nevada County Fairgrounds would not be affected.
Local service clubs and youth organizations rake in revenue from fireworks sales and are resisting any change in current fireworks ordinances. But a vote for lower wildfire risk does not equal a change of heart toward service clubs. A Grass Valley City Council meeting will consider this issue Tuesday, March 25. For more details, see fireworksanity.blogspot.com/.
Here are specific recommendations for the City Council and Fire Chief Jim Marquis:
This proposal is not a call to end public displays of fireworks lighted by professionals at any time of year. The July 4th fireworks show staged at the Nevada County Fairgrounds would not be affected.
Plenty of people do not follow county law prohibiting the lighting of fireworks in unincorporated areas. So claiming that what is sold in Grass Valley stays in Grass Valley is to ignore the problem. "Safe and Sane" is anything but! Virtually all fireworks sold in the U.S. are made in China, where manufacturing is renowned for shoddy quality control.
Regarding July 4th: Grass Valley should continue to allow the detonation of all types of fireworks in town by private citizens for a few hours in certain safe locations.
This is designed to reduce the likelihood that people will detonate fireworks in unsafe, wildfire-prone areas outside city limits. But the city should reduce fireworks sales inside city limits over the next few years, with no sales in 2011.
For Dec. 31: Nevada County should allow the detonation of all types of fireworks by private citizens anywhere in unincorporated areas. This is a matter for county and state governments to permit.
Regarding July 4th: Grass Valley should continue to allow the detonation of all types of fireworks in town by private citizens for a few hours in certain safe locations.
This is designed to reduce the likelihood that people will detonate fireworks in unsafe, wildfire-prone areas outside city limits. But the city should reduce fireworks sales inside city limits over the next few years, with no sales in 2011.
For Dec. 31: Nevada County should allow the detonation of all types of fireworks by private citizens anywhere in unincorporated areas. This is a matter for county and state governments to permit.
Service clubs can buy fireworks at lower "off-peak" prices for December, resulting in higher profit margins.
Fire chiefs, OES personnel, fire marshals and Forest Service fire officers support fireworks sales and detonation only during wet times of the year, when wildfire risk is minimal. Changes to state laws have been proposed that would allow local governments to approve fireworks sales in December.
Some reduction in fireworks-induced wildfire risk is better than none. Reducing sales in Grass Valley may not completely prevent people from lighting fireworks outside the city. Giving people a safe place to detonate in Grass Valley remains a good idea.
Service clubs have no right to endanger the lives and property of others in order to fund their programs. One scholarship or one charitable donation won't compensate for a home or life lost in a wildfire or for the cost of fighting one. Would these same service clubs be proud to profit from sales of other products that risk harming people? Red-white-and- blue cigarettes? Chewing tobacco? Cigars? Slingshots? Pellet guns?
Fire chiefs, OES personnel, fire marshals and Forest Service fire officers support fireworks sales and detonation only during wet times of the year, when wildfire risk is minimal. Changes to state laws have been proposed that would allow local governments to approve fireworks sales in December.
Some reduction in fireworks-induced wildfire risk is better than none. Reducing sales in Grass Valley may not completely prevent people from lighting fireworks outside the city. Giving people a safe place to detonate in Grass Valley remains a good idea.
Service clubs have no right to endanger the lives and property of others in order to fund their programs. One scholarship or one charitable donation won't compensate for a home or life lost in a wildfire or for the cost of fighting one. Would these same service clubs be proud to profit from sales of other products that risk harming people? Red-white-and- blue cigarettes? Chewing tobacco? Cigars? Slingshots? Pellet guns?
Service clubs' profit margins will be higher from sales of items other than fireworks, such as flags, drinks, food, candy, blinking lights or slogan shirts. Service clubs don't sell fireworks directly, they pay companies from outside Nevada County huge commissions. These corporations employ outsiders, not just local people. If service clubs want to serve the local community, why not pay local people to sell products with higher profit margins? Fireworks vendors actually siphon local money out of the county.
Law enforcement is overwhelmed with complaints about fireworks on July 4th and cannot possibly respond. Claims that there "is no problem from fireworks" are signs of a large credibility problem - such claims are preposterous.
Fireworks scare people and animals. Many citizens at recent workshops in Grass Valley reported run-away pets as a result of the noise of fireworks. The newspaper classified ads for lost pets always increase right after July 4th.
Nicholas George is a computer consultant, outdoorsman and longtime rural property owner in Nevada County. He is a founder of fireworksanity.blogspot.com.
Law enforcement is overwhelmed with complaints about fireworks on July 4th and cannot possibly respond. Claims that there "is no problem from fireworks" are signs of a large credibility problem - such claims are preposterous.
Fireworks scare people and animals. Many citizens at recent workshops in Grass Valley reported run-away pets as a result of the noise of fireworks. The newspaper classified ads for lost pets always increase right after July 4th.
Nicholas George is a computer consultant, outdoorsman and longtime rural property owner in Nevada County. He is a founder of fireworksanity.blogspot.com.
