Safely store, dispose of ‘Safe and Sane’ fireworks

Fireworks sales were hot across the desert Fourth of July weekend, a “Safe and Sane” holiday for the most part.

“Fourth of July we had our normal Safe and Sane activities as well as some illegal firework activities that we were disappointed in,” said Cathedral City Fire Chief Paul Wilson.

The Cathedral City Fire Dept. told us fireworks sparked four fires in the city this weekend. Nothing major, but flames burned grass areas and in trash cans from smoldering sparklers. Wilson said flames from one trash can burned the wall of a home.

“Fortunately the homeowner’s son smelled smoke, they were alerted and felt the wall, notified 911. When the firefighters got there they were able to remove the exterior stucco of the home,” he said.

The fire caused $5,000 in damage. No one was hurt.

Cal Fire said it responded to two small fireworks-related incidents in Indio.

Fireworks are off limits until next year, but if you have any unopened fireworks leftover and want to store them, be sure to keep them out of reach from children, away from flammable materials and throw them away if they’ve been wet or damaged.

If you’d like to safely get rid of your Safe and Sane fireworks you can drop off them off at local fire stations.

“We’re accepting those at any fire station and we can dispose of them in the proper manner through the county bomb squad,” said Wilson.

Firefighters prefer you play it safe, dispose of fireworks and buy new ones next year.