Illegal fireworks could bring fines up to $10,000 daily in Oceanside

People who set off illegal fireworks could be fined up to $10,000 per day under an enforcement program proposed in Oceanside.

Privately launched pyrotechnics surge on and around July Fourth and New Year’s Eve in neighborhoods across the city every year, said Oceanside Fire Department division Chief Blake Dorce, at a recent meeting of the city’s Police and Fire Commission.

Adding to the concerns was an incident Feb. 5 when a 15-year-old boy had his hand blown off while playing with illegal fireworks on Horne Street, Dorce said.

“This is a serious issue that affects our community as well as others,” Dorce said. “In addition to the safety and health threat, we’ve all experienced the noise disturbance from fireworks. They create air pollution and litter. They place an increased demand on public safety resources, both in the police and fire departments.”

Last August, the Oceanside City Council directed staffers to look at possible enforcement strategies to address the proliferation of illegal fireworks.

Since then the Fire Department, Police Department and City Attorney’s Office have been preparing an ordinance that would focus on educating people about the dangers of illegal fireworks, set a schedule of fines for violations, and outline an enforcement system using aerial drones to help locate and cite offenders.

As part of their preparations, the staff looked at enforcement programs elsewhere in California, focusing mainly on Sacrament...