Letters to the Editor: Coastal L.A.’s fireworks pollution lingers inland for days. Ban the explosives

To the editor: On Wednesday, I wore a mask in my car — not because I was afraid of COVID-19, but because I live on the eastern edge of Los Angles County, and it was the day after the Fourth of July. Fireworks displays all over the county spew smoke, and it all ends up blown toward the San Gabriel Mountains, where it lingers for days. (“Breath taking: July 4th fireworks again bring terrible air quality to L.A. region,” July 5)

I had to drive into L.A. on an errand. I couldn’t see mountains or even local hills or buildings. The foul, nauseating air reminded me of my youth when we frequently had smog alerts and our physical education class was canceled.

When I got home on Wednesday I looked up an air quality map: Eastern L.A. County was a sea of red dots indicating “unhealthy” air, while areas to our west were peppered with the less foreboding orange and yellow dots. The coast was green, indicating good air.

It is not fair for my side of the county to have to breathe in the toxic aftermath of all the fireworks shows from all over.

It is time to ban fireworks in L.A. County. The money that municipalities spend on fireworks displays could be spent on alternative festivities that celebrate the Fourth of July.

Kim Peasley, Claremont

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To the editor: Usually, when illegal fireworks go off on July 4, I shrug off the racket as a one-night revelry that will disappear by morning. But this year was far from usual. For hours, fireworks rumbled warlike without pause in my area.

Apparently, this was not just an Orange County phenomenon. It occurred all over Southern California and even the country, to a bizarre degree. The nonstop noise sounded angry, not celebratory. Rather than patriotic, it felt anarchistic.

At the risk of reading too much into what as of now is an anomaly, I’ll say that the utter disregard for laws, safety, air quality, neighbors and animals seems yet another crack in the ongoing breakdown of societal norms.

Susan Goulding, Seal Beach

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To the editor: Your article about the cancellation of some fireworks shows over concern for water pollution makes me wonder why fireworks are allowed at all.

We live in an area with a constant concern over air pollution, yet local governments allow amusement parks and sports stadiums to pollute the air year-round with these explosives.

With the proliferation of drones, why not keep the air cleaner and enjoy the spectacular shows staged by drone experts?

Jerry Otwell Rutledge, Palm Springs