Calif. city used drones for illegal firework crackdown. One fine reached $100K.

Sacramento firefighters turned to the skies with drone surveillance footage to crack down on illegal Fourth of July fireworks. 

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The Sacramento Fire Department flew its own drones for the first time this year to document violations that have resulted in at least 70 citations and a minimum of $300,000 in fines from Independence Day alone, Capt. Justin Sylvia told SFGATE. The department previously relied on privately contracted drone operators funded by TNT Fireworks. 

The department operated two drones this year, allowing crews to monitor portions of northern and southern Sacramento. Sylvia said the department hopes to double that number for next year’s holiday so that it can monitor more neighborhoods and reduce dangerous face-to-face encounters when documenting the use of illegal fireworks from marked vehicles.

“Our drone footage is extremely clear,” Sylvia explained. “There’s no trying to deny what we saw from the drone footage. [Drones] work. We can cover a lot more ground, and it’s a lot safer for us. It’s a lot easier to do it from the air.” 

Under Sacramento’s escalating penalty structure, Sylvia said the first illegal firework carries a $1,000 fine, the second $2,500 and the third $5,000, with each additional device bringing another $5,000 fine. The largest single citation on Saturday evening totaled roughly $100,000 and took place in Del Paso Heights. 

The department is still compiling this year’s final enforcement totals, including July 2 and 3, which are still under review. Sylvia noted that last year’s figures were inflated by several unusually large cases, including citations totaling $1.2 million and $470,000 that were issued after the holiday. 

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Despite the widespread illegal fireworks activity, Sacramento avoided the large-scale fire outbreaks that have marked past Fourth of July celebrations, such as multiple house, vehicle and dumpster fires. Sylvia said firefighters responded to numerous small grass fires and one backyard fire in South Sacramento that nearly spread to a nearby home. 

Looking ahead, Sylvia said the department hopes enforcement efforts and the threat of steep fines will discourage more residents from using illegal fireworks altogether. 

“What goes up must come down,” Sylvia said. “All it takes is a small ember of that firework to land in a dry field next to a fence next to a house, and you have a recipe for disaster.”