Escondido officials urge residents to avoid illegal fireworks, report violations

Deputy Fire Marshal Lavonna Koretsky of the Escondido Fire Department and Councilman Christian Garcia urged Escondido residents to avoid illegal fireworks and to report any violations to the Escondido Police nonemergency line, citing risks of injury, disturbance to veterans and people with post-traumatic stress, and wildfire.

Koretsky said the illegal use of fireworks is a safety concern and warned that "the potential to hurt yourself, your neighbors, or start a wildfire is great and just not worth the risk." She asked residents who see illegal fireworks to call the Escondido Police nonemergency line and provide the exact location.

Councilman Christian Garcia said the city offers public events and alternatives for holiday celebrations and emphasized respect for neighbors: "Fireworks are illegal in Escondido. We wanna be mindful of our neighbors. We wanna be respectful and understand that people might have PTSD, veterans that have experiences, law enforcement, and also people who have dogs who might be sensitive to loud noises." He closed by telling residents, "So remember, Escondido, we celebrate safely."

The message framed the guidance as both a public-safety warning and a community courtesy: officials urged people to choose organized, permitted events such as city parades and fireworks shows instead of personal, illegal fireworks. The announcement did not specify penalties or enforcement procedures beyond the instruction to report violations to the police nonemergency line.

Officials also linked the fireworks advisory to wildfire risk and personal injury, noting the potential to harm bystanders and disturb vulnerable populations. No new local ordinance or policy change was announced during the remarks; the comments were presented as a seasonal public-safety advisory.