_{Thumbnail photo courtesy of the Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce}

Del Norte County’s sheriff plans to come down heavy on criminal charges against those  who test the community’s resolve on curtailing the use of illegal fireworks.

Though a new social media campaign launched last week mentions increased administrative fines and penalties for the sale, possession and use of mortars, sky rockets and other unsafe pyrotechnics, those who flout state law could face misdemeanor or felony charges, Sheriff Garrett Scott said.

“The bottomline is it’s easier for us to focus more on state laws than it is on local laws just for the teeth,” Scott said Monday. “This time we’re trying to make an impact and make this community safe. And so this year, we’re not going to be giving a lot of breaks.”

Scott has been working with an ad-hoc committee of Crescent City, Del Norte County and Crescent City Harbor District officials since last year when a fireworks explosion on South Beach hospitalized 14 people including a 3-year-old boy who sustained serious injuries. Representatives from state agencies including Caltrans, Calfire, the California Highway Patrol and California State Parks have taken part in those meetings as well.

Last Wednesday, the committee announced “The No Tolerance” Campaign against illegal fireworks that has been signed off by the DNSO, CHP, Crescent City Police Department, Crescent City Fire and Rescue, Del Norte Ambulance and Elk Valley Rancheria in addition to the city, county and harbor.

The announcement states that there will be a stronger police presence during the holiday, mentions updated city and county ordinances that includes increased fines as well as a new tip line that will be active on July 3 and 4.

Over the next six weeks, the ad-hoc committee will conduct a media blitz, focusing on areas like Redding, Humboldt and points south, committee member and District 2 Supervisor Valerie Starkey said. She said they’re hoping for earned media in the form of news stories and that the California Highway Patrol’s Crescent City office will share the message with offices in other parts of the state.

Starkey said she’s hoping Caltrans District 1 can put the word out on its social media pages. There will also be radio ads and electronic marquis on the road leading into Crescent City just before the holiday. Starkey said they’ll remind folks of the up-to $1,000 fine or criminal charges for anyone violating the law.

“We don’t want ignorance of the law to be an excuse and so we’re really going to do our share and our part to make sure the message is out there and people know of the changes,” she said. “We’re asking the public to be law-abiding citizens. I wish we didn’t have to do that — I wish everybody would just be law-abiding citizens — but it is what it is.”

Scott said he’s reached out to CalFire, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, California State Parks and CHP for help patrolling the area around South Beach during the holiday. He said he received an answer from CHP and expects the agency to send “very likely 10 or more officers up this way” for Independence Day and, possibly, July 3 too.

While the CHP will primarily focus on South Beach, Scott said they will help enforce the state’s illegal fireworks law in the Klamath, Smith River and Gasquet areas.

Meanwhile, Scott said, his entire patrol staff will rove the beaches, though some will also be handling other calls for service. The sheriff’s office has three ATVs and Scott said he’ll likely have teams of four to confiscate illegal harbor.

“We’ll have a command post set up as we normally do, but we’re going to move it to somewhere in the harbor area where we’ll have probably some fire personnel and search & rescue personnel,” Scott said. “We’ll likely be handing off illegal fireworks to haul to the CalFire people.”

Under California’s Fireworks Law, the State Fire Marshal has the authority to seize illegal fireworks. Scott said CalFire will have five law enforcement officers in Crescent City who will be focusing on the beach areas.

In a Monday conversation with Redwood Voice Community News, Scott also elaborated on his decision to focus on state law rather than imposing administrative fines against those who are also violating the county’s fireworks ordinance.

Approved by the Del Norte County Board of Supervisors in October, the ordinance is an administrative way of dealing with illegal fireworks, County Counsel Jacqueline Roberts told supervisors. She referred to the ordinance as another tool, pointing out that it can be difficult to prosecute a low-level misdemeanor and said a $1,000 fine might deter that behavior.

On Monday, Scott said that while the county ordinance would work great against a minor violation he’s going to ask CalFire agents to write criminal citations against those who are bringing lots of fireworks into the community.

“They’re the experts,” he said. “They’re fully trained and can testify in court without a doubt on the various components of an explosive device and things like that.”

Crescent City updated their own fireworks ordinance to mirror the county’s earlier this year.

While county law enforcement and other officials are taking more of a stance on illegal fireworks than previous years, the Crescent City-Del Norte County Chamber of Commerce announced the theme and grand marshal for this year’s Fourth of July Parade.

This year’s theme, “Land of the Free, Home of the Redwoods’ reflects the “uniqueness of our landscape and the unity within our community,” the chamber stated in a press release April 24. Crescent City’s former mayor, Blake Inscore, will be this year’s grand marshal, chosen for his unwavering dedication to public service, according to the news release.

Inscore moved to Crescent City in 2008 and has been First Baptist Church’s pastor since then. He was on the Crescent City Planning Commission from 2010 to 2014 when he was elected to the City Council.

Blake has been mayor for five out of the 10 years he’s been on the City Council. He served a final year as mayor until he retired in 2024.

“Under his leadership, Blake saw many positive changes take place in Crescent City and in 2022 he was named a local hometown hero,” the chamber stated. “Over the years, he has participated in many local events, including gracing us all as Santa for the Downtown Light Parade for many years.

Inscore was also instrumental in furthering the sister city relationship between Crescent City and Rikuzentakata, Japan.

Those who want more information on the parade, Deck Party raffle donations or volunteer opportunities should call the Chamber at (707) 464-3174 or email chamber@delnorte.org. They can also stop by the Chamber of Commerce office at 1001 Front Street in Crescent City.