Clark County is warning of a crackdown on illegal fireworks this Fourth of July the likes of which “hasn’t been seen in more than two decades.”
Enforcement teams will fan out throughout the valley in search of illegal fireworks — such as those that fly through the air or explode, officials said. Only fireworks labeled as “safe and sane” are permitted from June 28 through July 4.
“The teams will cite as many people as possible,” the county said in a statement. “Officers won’t be able to cite everyone, but the large deployment is expected to make a dent in what is occurring.”
Offenders can have their fireworks confiscated and face a fine of $1,000, in addition to disposal fees that can run into the hundreds of dollars, officials said.
To avoid tying up 911 and 311 dispatch lines, officials also announced a new website — ispyfireworks.com — for people to report illegal fireworks activity. People can leave information without having to give their name, phone number or email address.
Roughly 11,000 people nationwide were hospitalized for fireworks-related injuries in 2016, according to statistics cited by the county. Each year, fire departments in the U.S. respond to more than 50,000 blazes caused by fireworks, officials said.