Ahead of the July 4th maelstrom of illegal fireworks lighting up SF’s foggy skies, Supervisor Alan Wong introduced legislation that would strengthen enforcement by allowing police to issue fines and pursue misdemeanor charges against repeat offenders.
District 2 Supervisor Alan Wong has introduced legislation that would strengthen enforcement against illegal fireworks in San Francisco by establishing fines for violations and misdemeanor penalties for repeat offenders, as KPIX reports. The proposal was developed alongside the San Francisco Police Department to close gaps in the city's current enforcement tools.
“Our law enforcement partners showed up, did their best, and had little ability to hold violators accountable,” said San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispen Friday, speaking about the city’s prior lack of protocol around enforcing illegal fireworks. “That ends now. This ordinance gives law enforcement the tools we need and sends a message to the community that San Francisco takes this seriously.”
Under the legislation, a first violation would carry a fine of $125 to $250, while a second offense within five years could be charged as a misdemeanor.
Wong's office also partnered with the National Park Service earlier this year to install new “Fireworks Prohibited” signs at Ocean Beach, where federal authorities continue to patrol and enforce regulations within the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, per KPIX.
According to Hoodline, the proposal follows recommendations from a 2024 San Francisco Civil Grand Jury report that found the city lacked a coordinated approach to illegal fireworks enforcement. The report documented 960 fireworks-related dispatches between 2018 and 2023 and called for improved tracking of repeat offenders, stronger public reporting systems, and clearer communication about how residents should report violations.
City officials are advising residents to report illegal fireworks only when they can identify the person involved and to provide an exact location. The SFPD advises calling its non-emergency line at 415-553-0123 or 311, reserving 911 for fires, injuries, and other emergencies.
The proposal comes as other jurisdictions are increasing penalties for illegal fireworks. Per Hoodline, Sacramento County recently approved fines of up to $1,000 per violation and plans to expand drone surveillance and holiday enforcement staffing.
San Francisco authorities have also reportedly seized large quantities of illegal fireworks in recent years, including a major bust before last year's holiday, but as SFist reported previously, enforcing the production of illegal fireworks in SF, particularly M-80s and M-1000s, has been a decades-long battle.
Additionally, fireworks are also routinely purchased legally across the state line in Nevada then brought back to the Bay Area.
As SFist reported last year, illegal fireworks were responsible for igniting dozens of fires across the Bay Area on Fourth of July weekend — from Oakland and Alameda to Antioch and San Jose, with Oakland Fire Department responding to more than 60 fires.
Previously: Illegal Fireworks Spark Dozens of Bay Area Fires on July 4th, Injuring Several and Killing Two Dogs
Image: SFFD, screenshot from video
