Fireworks Fanciers Pursue Tradition Across City Lines

Remembering Independence Days past, they pack the kids in the car and search for a piece of Americana.

Their own tidy cities say no way: no fireworks here. So they cross the borders to communities where buying and using fireworks is still as much of a Fourth of July tradition as barbecues and block parties.

The ritual began Friday, as red, white and blue stands popped up around Southern California. Volunteers lined the shelves with monster blasts, laser dragons and lava cones. Buyers filled up bags with packages of the pyrotechnic devices.

“It goes back to their childhoods,” said Mike Williams, who runs a stand each year in Alhambra. “It makes the Fourth that much more special.”

Only “safe and sane” fireworks--which fizzle on the ground, rather than explode in the air--are legal in California. Even these are often banned by local officials. In Los Angeles County, fireworks are prohibited in 49 of 87 cities and in all unincorporated areas.

Temple City has permitted fireworks for decades, and City Manager Martin Cole explained why: “It’s a well-rooted tradition.”

Steve Hughes and his 3-year-old daughter, Christina, traveled to Alhambra Friday morning to gear up for their family celebration in Tujunga, where fireworks are banned. They scanned the colorful assortments before choosing $36 of cuckoos, ground flowers and sparklers.

Hughes, 36, said he’ll light the fireworks in his drained pool, where it’s unlikely that anybody will get hurt--or that he’ll get caught. He’ll keep water nearby and won’t let his daughter near them.

But he said he can’t imagine July 4 without fireworks. “I just love them,” he said. “It’s just the spectacle of it all--being able to see the flashes and the colors.”

Lakeview Terrace resident David Manning drove an hour to a booth in Fillmore, the only city in Ventura County where “safe and sane” fireworks are allowed. As he bought $200 worth of fireworks, Manning said he is breaking the law in the name of patriotism and tradition.

Every year, firefighters warn residents to stay away from backyard shows and to attend sponsored extravaganzas instead. And every year, there are dozens of injuries and fires from fireworks.

“Fortunately, the number of injuries has dropped, but that doesn’t mean we can let our guard down,” said Los Angeles City Fire Marshal Al Hernandez. “The bottom line is that there is no safe way to do it.”

Statewide, hospitals reported 188 injuries caused by fireworks in 1999 (the latest year for which numbers are available), compared with 272 five years earlier, according to the state fire marshal’s office. And in Los Angeles County last year, more than $500,000 in fire damage was caused by illegal fireworks from June 17 to July 16.

But fireworks distributors maintain that problems arise from illegal fireworks such as M-80s, cherry bombs and bottle rockets.

“We all agree that illegal fireworks have to be stopped,” said Dennis Revell, a spokesman for American Promotional Events. “They are public enemy No. 1 for the fire services.”

Some churches and charities rely on the proceeds from fireworks stands to fund Little League teams, summer camps and scholarships.

The Alhambra High School wrestling team runs a stand every year, which raises about $7,000 for tournament dues and warmup outfits. “This beats carwashes and candy sales,” said coach Mike Williams. “We’re fund-raised out at school.”

Down the street, All Souls Church ran another booth to help pay for youth programs at the church. Father Ben Le worries about customers not being safe on Wednesday. “This is our dilemma, but we cannot do without [fireworks sales],” he said.

Despite the benefits for nonprofits, pyrotechnic booths are a tradition that many fire officials and doctors could do without.

“It’s a big industry, and we are never going to abolish it,” said Joe Luna, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department. “So we just . . . keep our fingers crossed.”

Times staff writer Mai Tran and correspondent Karin Grennan contributed to this story.