The number of fires sparked by illegal fireworks may have been down this year, but the calls from residents to police nearly doubled on the Fourth of July, city officials reported July 12.
According to a press release from the City of Gilroy, the Gilroy Police Department received 175 calls for service on the holiday, compared to 100 in 2020.
Police are also seeking charges against eight people for the use of illegal fireworks.
In an earlier interview, Fire Chief Jim Wyatt said firefighters dealt with four vegetation fires on the Fourth of July, compared to nine in 2020.
In Gilroy, so-called “safe and sane fireworks,” which do not shoot up in the air and have a smaller amount of gunpowder, are the only legal types of fireworks and they are only legal during that weekend.
To detect the use of illegal fireworks, the city used the “NailEm” app, which allowed users to report the location of illegal fireworks through the app in real-time. Police also deployed a drone over “hotspots and neighborhoods that needed additional on-the-ground attention,” the press release stated.
Two additional fire engines were staffed, and the police department also doubled its officer staffing during the evening hours, according to the city.
These efforts were funded by mitigation fees collected as part of safe and sane firework sales in Gilroy.
To report illegal fireworks, the Gilroy Police Department asks the public to call the non-emergency line at 408.846.0350 or email fi*******@ci**********.org. In emergencies, call 911.
