This year the Bend Police Department along with the Fire Department are going to be cracking down on illegal fireworks use this year; you can read it in the release I’ve included below, but essentially they will be patrolling on the Fourth and anyone caught with illegals will face confiscation and some steep fines.

Legal fireworks are any of the ones that are sold in town: fountains, wheels, sparklers, hand-held fountains, ground bloom flowers. Anything that flies, shoots more than six feet into the air, or explodes is illegal.

I like fireworks, but find it ridiculous the sheer number of blatantly illegal ones that people set off every year. This should be an eye-opener.

The release:

Police Officers and Fire Inspectors will be paired together on the 4th of July to respond to complaints of illegal fireworks use. The goal of the patrols is to reduce the use of illegal fireworks and reduce the risk of fire or injury from those fireworks. Fireworks that are illegal in the State of Oregon are any types that fly, explode, eject balls of fire or move across the ground more than 6 feet or into the air more than 12 inches. Deschutes County 911 will be fielding all fireworks related complaints through their dispatch center. Their dispatchers will then dispatch one of the patrols to the area of the complaint. Non-emergency: 693-6911

With the budget constraints that the City of Bend is facing, these patrols will be based on the availability of officers and inspectors. Up to 4 pairs will be on duty the evening of Independence Day from 8pm to 11pm. These patrols will cover all of the City of Bend. Persons found using illegal fireworks are subject to citations up to $1,113 and confiscation of all illegal fireworks.

Leading up to the 4th of July, the Bend Fire and Police Departments will be working extensively to help educate the public on what type of fireworks are safe and legal to use within the City of Bend and what types are illegal to use. Information on safe use of fireworks will be available at all fireworks sales locations, the City of Bend web page, and through many media outlets. The education and patrols is an effort by the City of Bend, Police and Fire Departments, to help stem to tide of illegal fireworks being brought into and used within the city limits of Bend.

For more information please visit the City of Bend’s web site www.ci.bend.or.us and go to the Fire Department’s page for more on Fireworks and fire safety. You can always call the Bend Fire Department at 322-6309 for further information or to talk with a fire inspector.