As the Fourth of July approaches, Sacramento officials are warning residents that lighting the wrong kind of firework could now cost you thousands, and the crackdown won’t stop after the holiday.
The Sacramento City Council recently voted to pass an increase in fines for using illegal fireworks. A ticket for setting one off can reach as high as $10,000 in high-risk areas, including schools, parks, and near the river.
That’s on top of escalating previous fines; now the tickets will start at $1,000 for the first violation, $2,500 for the second, and $5,000 for each additional violation within a year. The city also now counts each illegal firework separately, meaning citations can stack…