Salinas reports fewer July 4 structure and vegetation fires after expanded fireworks enforcement; 96 citations issued

Salinas officials said the city saw fewer fireworks-related structure and vegetation fires this year while reporting a rise in enforcement technology and case processing. Division Chief and Fire Marshal Chris Knapp told the Salinas City Council on Aug. 26 that the department issued 96 administrative citations tied to illegal fireworks and documented what he described as a reduction in suppression incidents compared with 2024.

Knapp said the city’s enforcement campaign combined outreach, marked and unmarked vehicles, and four drones operated by Salinas Fire and Salinas Police. “The administrative citation is $1,500 per fuse that is lit,” Knapp said, describing the citation calculation that produced a total figure in the report’s slides of roughly $218,000 in citations issued. He added the department had collected about $27,000 so far this year through payment plans and paid citations.

The fire marshal said the task force relied on 39 staffers that included 16 fire department members, eight fire prevention staffers, four Salinas Police patrol units, and 14 additional city staff volunteers. Knapp credited drones and new processing software with faster address identification and evidence collection: “Drones are a game changer for us,” he said, describing how a pilot can place a crosshair on a house and create a geolocation the office later ties to an administrative notice.

Why it matters

Knapp presented the enforcement work as part of a multi-year strategy that pairs public education, permitted “safe and sane” sales and after‑the‑fact administrative enforcement rather than face‑to‑face citations during unsafe contacts. The council received the report and supported staff recommendations to continue drone use, pursue regional task‑force options and add enforcement capacity.

What the report found

- Reports from the public to the city’s reporting systems decreased compared with the prior year (the report compared multiple channels). - The department documented fewer structure fires and fewer vegetation incidents in 2025 versus 2024. - The city issued 96 administrative citations tied to the July 4 enforcement period; the largest single citation recorded was listed in the presentation as $10,250. Total citations written amounted to roughly $218,000. - Collected payments so far total about $27,000, with 24 active payment plans and 11 citations paid in full, the fire marshal said.

Recommendations and next steps

Knapp urged the council to keep investing in enforcement technology and staff capacity. Among his recommendations were continued use of drones, expanded interagency collaboration, a dedicated deputy fire marshal position to manage the work year‑round, and improved public signage and outreach at safe‑and‑sane sales locations. The fire marshal told the council he planned to add required signage at vendor points of sale next year.

Council action

Council members voted unanimously to receive the report and to support the staff recommendations. The roll call recorded by the clerk showed all present members voting to receive the report.

Public comment and vendor responses

Representatives of TNT Fireworks and community organizations addressed the council. Milton of TNT offered to meet with council members to explain vendor storage and permitting. Members of the public praised the quieter July 4 witnessed in some neighborhoods and suggested alternatives such as community fireworks events and expanded voluntary surrender programs for unwanted fireworks. The fire marshal said the city does accept surrendered fireworks and coordinates disposal through the State Fire Marshal.

Ending

Council members thanked Knapp and his staff for the task force’s work and supported the motion to continue the program with the improvements and investments recommended in the report.