Local News in Brief : Fireworks Ban Studied

The mayor of San Fernando says his city will consider banning the sale of fireworks in response to a threat by Los Angeles officials to cut off fire protection to the community.

Mayor Ray Richardson was responding to a motion introduced at Wednesday’s Los Angeles City Council meeting calling for an end to the sale of fireworks in San Fernando as a condition of a new fire protection contract for that city. The existing 10-year contract expires next June 30.

Fireworks are banned in Los Angeles, but those sold in San Fernando often “find their way” into Los Angeles, which surrounds the small city, said Councilwoman Joy Picus, who introduced the motion.

Richardson said the San Fernando City Council will take up the issue within a month. “If L.A. takes a hard line and insists on eliminating the sale of fireworks, then perhaps that is the way we will have to go,” he said.