Costa Mesa fireworks stands open to ‘safe and sane’ crowds, but bad actors could blow the whole thing to bits

Locals seeking out pop-its, sparklers and snakes for their Fourth of July festivities marked their calendars for Wednesday — the day fireworks stands in Costa Mesa were officially open for business.

Newport Beach residents Colleen and Buck Johns were among a small group of customers who turned out for the 10 a.m. opening of a stand on 17th Street, operated by supporters of the Costa Mesa High School cheerleading teams, who will receive a portion of the proceeds for their labor.

“We have a grandson who lives in Costa Mesa, so I’m going to meet up with him today and give him some sparklers,” said Colleen Johns, whose birthday happens to fall on July 4.

CMHS cheerleaders Nora Moreno, left, and Wendy Martinez drum up interest Wednesday in the team’s fireworks stand on 17th Street in Costa Mesa.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

Each year, the city of Costa Mesa issues permits allowing local youth clubs and nonprofit groups to sell “safe and sane” fireworks, legal in the state of California, in the week leading up to the holiday as a fundraising activity.

A total of 31 booths, including the one operated by supporters of the Costa Mesa High cheer team, have been approved to conduct sales between June 30 and July 4.

It’s an important fundraiser for student athletes and other groups that participate in extracurricular trips and competitions, said CMHS cheer parent and stand operator Chris Raymond.

“There are a lot of things where you have to go above and beyond to do the things the Costa Mesa High cheer team does,” said Raymond, who broke his ankle setting up the stand Tuesday but still came in on Wednesday. “So, doing things like this allows us to do those different functions.”

Safe and sane fireworks are on sale throughout Costa Mesa starting Wednesday and running through 9 p.m. on July 4.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

But for every city-sanctioned stand, there are far more bad actors, who buy, sell and discharge illegal commercial-grade explosives inside city limits — so many, in fact, city officials are considering reexamining the existing fireworks policy altogether.

Between June 1 and 28, Costa Mesa police received 152 fireworks-related calls for service, according to figures provided by the department.

CMPD Chief Bryan Glass told council members in a June 15 meeting citing offenders can be difficult, because officers must observe someone lighting illegal fireworks in order to mete out punishment.

Still, this year’s enforcement efforts have been expansive, and a lot of illicit material has been taken off the streets by police concentrating their efforts on potential illegal sales.

“We’ve already confiscated 1,400 pounds of illegal fireworks this year, and we just started this operation,” he said. “So, there is more abundance out there.”

Unpermitted fireworks also present an added fire danger. Costa Mesa Fire Chief Dan Stefano told council members at the June 15 meeting that 18,500 fliers went out this year to residences within identified “hot areas” — where calls of potentially illegal fireworks are frequent — to remind recipients about the rules and urging them to be good neighbors.

Stefano acknowledged the city’s allowance of safe and sane fireworks makes it difficult to distinguish between law-abiding citizens and scofflaws.

“There’s no question, with what we’ve seen, the safe and sane [fireworks] definitely provides a shield for some of the illegal fireworks,” he said. “When we’ve been out, I’ve seen it, by the time you get to a location it’s very challenging.”

Elizabeth Geyer is handed her fireworks at the Costa Mesa High School Cheer team fireworks stand in Costa Mesa on Wednesday.

(Scott Smeltzer / Staff Photographer)

City council members expressed their frustration at the ubiquity of illegal fireworks in the city and the negative impact to surrounding neighbors.

“My neighborhood is a war zone — smoke everywhere, you can’t breathe — chaos,” District 2 Councilman Loren Gameros said during the meeting. “If we don’t respect the rules and the laws, we’re not going to have the opportunity to have safe and sane fireworks.”

Mayor Pro Tem Andrea Marr agreed.

“I have a tremendous heart for the boosters who slave away in those little booths for a week every summer in order to raise money for their clubs, but maybe we can get creative,” she said. “Maybe we can find some replacement source of funding…and eventually get to the point where we’re not encouraging any fireworks in the city.”

Marr asked City Manager Lori Ann Farrell Harrison to agendize a discussion on the issue at a future council meeting.

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