"We may need tighter restrictions for illegal fireworks and I’m for a more robust Hall Park celebration"

DIXON, CA (MPG) - If you thought you might have heard more booms, bangs, and crackles this last holiday, you were right alongside most other Dixonites who voiced their concerns about 4th of July fireworks on social media, to their council representatives, and to this newspaper. Some might say after a year of pandemic-induced government restrictions there was much to celebrate, and if you’re from Dixon, there have been two years without a display in Hall Park so residents might have taken celebrations more seriously to their neighborhoods.

“It was a bad year [for Independence Day,]” said Dixon Police Chief Robert Thompson after he supplied a report on the past three years over 4th of July Police and Nuisance Activities at the last City Council Meeting held via Zoom. Despite that they had twice as many officers and started the evening with an average response time of 17 minutes, by 10 pm that response time extended to 42 minutes.

“Everything went wrong,” he said with not one but two structure fires--one a small apartment complex with three families inside--and officers were forced to become “traffic wardens” with street closures due to the responding fire fighting vehicles. The building, carport, and cars were destroyed but the families escaped uninjured. Whether or not fireworks played a role in the blaze has not yet been determined.

But, in comparison with last year and the year before, in the way of police issues, there were more details to analyze.

“Was it the worst year?” asked the Chief. “In the larger national narrative, is it an anomaly? Was it because the Rotary didn’t have a display and the City didn’t have a place for people to go?" After his presentation, Dist. 3 Representative Kevin Johnson asked for the issue of fireworks to be agendized.

“Let’s talk about it,” he said, not differentiating between enforcement of current statutes or changing the ordinances of California’s Safe and Sane Fireworks. “Last year was out of control and this year was out of control times ten. I don’t have the answer, but I know the problem and I think it would be naive of us to suspect that it was pent up after COVID and this was the first time,” he said.

“The issue is that Dixon is very much known in Solano County and there is growing knowledge that you can blow off everything here. If we do nothing, I do not believe we can reasonably expect that next year will return to something that is remotely okay.” He cited safety, pets, anxiety, and mental health concerns need to be addressed.

Dist. 1 Rep Scott Pederson and Dist. Rep 2 Jim Ernest agreed.

“A lot of people contacted me in regards to illegal fireworks, fearing for their homes. We may need tighter restrictions for illegal fireworks and I’m for a more robust Hall Park celebration," said Ernest.

Mayor Steve Bird said that the California League of Cities is dealing with fireworks as well and is a topic of concern throughout the state.

Johnson emphasized he is “fully aware” of the money fireworks sales bring to local nonprofits and the memories made for families celebrating legally so asked for the item to be agendized for future discussion. It is not known how soon that will be.

“The problem with banning all fireworks is it doesn’t affect law abiding citizens other than they will not have access to Safe and Sane Fireworks. All of the problems are being caused by illegal fireworks that are illegal today and will still be illegal tomorrow if you ban fireworks. The illegal ones are being brought in from Nevada, Mexico and the black market in Chinatown,” said former Councilman Devon Minnema after the meeting.