Tag: fireworks

For years, Gilroyans have been bombarded with the near-nightly sounds of explosive devices being ignited. Naturally, many go to social media to complain and share...

For many in Gilroy, when dusk falls, the city seems to turn into a war zone. Constant explosions from fireworks such as M-80s and bottle...

A Gilroy man “significantly” injured his hand while igniting illegal fireworks and was transported to an area hospital on New Year’s Eve, according to...

The evening of July 4 was a busy night for the Gilroy Police Department, which fielded more than 400 calls for service and wrote...

Morgan Hill Fire Marshal Dwight Good first became attracted to fire work when he joined the Mariposa County Volunteer Fire Department in 1991. At first it was just a fun hobby, but that hobby eventually turned into a passion for keeping people safe from fire.

South County fire and EMS personnel responded to at least two vegetation fires July 4 that were likely ignited by unauthorized celebratory fireworks, but for the most part the Independence Day holiday didn't see any significant local fire or medical emergencies, according to authorities. CalFire responded to two grass fires near Morgan Hill Thursday night, according to CalFire Battalion Chief Brandon Leitzke. One of the fires was just off the U.S. 101 north of Morgan Hill, near the Coyote Creek Golf Course, Leitzke said. That fire burned less than an acre of grass and vegetation. Crews also responded to a grass fire on Murphy Springs Drive in northwest Morgan Hill, which burned about an acre of vegetation before it was extinguished, Leitzke said. Both fires were caused by residents setting off “illegal fireworks,” but neither blaze resulted in significant damage or any injuries, Leitzke said. The City of Morgan Hill prohibits the display of fireworks, except in public displays that are authorized, permitted, and supervised by the fire chief, according to the City's municipal code. In Gilroy, where quieter so-called “safe and sane” fireworks are permitted for sale and display only during the Independence Day holiday, crews did not respond to any calls related to fireworks, according to Gilroy Fire Division Chief Colin Martin. That's not to say there was any shortage of celebration - “You could hear (fireworks) everywhere,” Martin said, but the revelry incited no unusual need for emergency services. “It was uneventful, which is good,” Martin said.

The sun is warming up in Morgan Hill, and that means the annual Fourth of July Freedom Fest is approaching.

Gilroy police arrests Oct. 22 - Oct. 24

Gilroy Police responded to 94 fireworks-related complaints the evening of July 4, according to Sgt. Chad Gallacinao, the highest amount of fireworks calls for at least the past three Independence Days.

“Dear Red Phone, You know what really chaps my hide? My neighbors launching fireworks at all hours of the night this Fourth of July (and often the next day, too!) Can you remind people the rules about lighting fireworks at your home and how to dispose of them? I sincerely appreciate it.”