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Council moves to strengthen penalties for illegal fireworks under 'It's Not Worth It' plan
Summary
Following a two‑year review, the council waived first reading and advanced an ordinance that allows per‑device administrative citations (stacked fines), authorizes drone evidence for hearings and funds extra staffing for July 3–5 enforcement as part of an 'It's Not Worth It' campaign.
Chief Perkins presented proposed amendments to the Hanford Municipal Code as part of an "It's Not Worth It" campaign to curb illegal fireworks. He described July 2024 incidents that strained fire and police resources, including a residential blaze caused by an illegal firework and the recovery of nearly 5,000 pounds of illegal fireworks during enforcement activity.
The core change staff proposed is to treat the possession, use, storage, sale or display of each dangerous firework device as a distinct violation subject to a separate administrative fine, so multiple devices can generate multiple citations. Chief Perkins said the wording is the campaign’s "game changer," explaining that if a person is found with five dangerous devices they can receive five separate violations and corresponding fines.
The ordinance also authorizes use of drone video as evidence for administrative hearings and sets up a framework for staffing and enforcement during high‑use dates. Council moved to waive the first reading and passed Ordinance 25‑11 to second reading for final adoption; staff will return with fee schedules and the accompanying constitutional review to ensure the fines are enforceable.
