Bexar County court adopts order banning sale and use of certain fireworks amid drought concerns

BEXAR COUNTY, Dec. 9 — Bexar County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved an order that prohibits the sale and use of certain restricted fireworks, effective immediately upon adoption, citing heightened wildfire risk during the ongoing drought.

County staff recommended restricting “rockets with sticks and missiles,” arguing those devices can travel off course and ignite fires. "We make the recommendation that we restrict the sale of the rockets with sticks and missiles with bins because of our drought situation," said Chris, an emergency-management staff member who presented the request to the court. He told the court current KVDI readings are ‘‘above 600’’ in many parts of the county and staff do not expect rainfall in the near term.

Chief Ortega, speaking for the county’s fire and emergency management partners, described multiagency enforcement efforts and legal limits on local restrictions. "The statute is very clear, and we're limited in what fireworks we can ban or restrict," he said, explaining that state law allows the county to target specific devices such as bottle rockets but leaves many aerial fireworks permissible under state statute. Ortega said the county works with the City of San Antonio Fire Department, the sheriff’s office and the state fire marshal’s office to target illegal sales, including operations that resell fireworks stolen from other areas.

Commissioner discussion focused on enforcement and public-safety outreach. Commissioner Lopez proposed increasing the number and visibility of designated, monitored “safe grounds” where organized displays can occur and boosting county marketing so newer residents in denser unincorporated areas know where monitored fireworks use is permitted. Ortega and staff said elements of vendor-run safe zones will be folded into an existing public-awareness campaign.

The court recorded a motion to adopt the order (mover: Commissioner Rodriguez; second: Commissioner Moody). The judge called for the ayes and the court recorded the motion as carried; the transcript does not include a roll-call tally. The order, as described in the hearing, takes effect on the date of adoption.

Court members and staff said the county will continue targeted enforcement operations and public-education work over the holiday season. The meeting then moved to the next agenda item and adjourned.