OCEANSIDE — Residents who set off their own fireworks in Oceanside could soon face hefty fines in the thousands of dollars under proposed regulations, as neighboring Escondido officials also take steps to more closely examine fireworks-related issues.
Illegal fireworks use has been a longstanding issue in Oceanside, raising concerns about public safety, noise, fire risks, and impacts on pets. In August, the Oceanside City Council directed city staff to study regulations in other jurisdictions and examine potential options for a local ordinance to reduce the use of illegal fireworks.
On Jan. 28, Oceanside Fire Department officials proposed an enforcement and education program, along with a fine structure intended to reduce fires. The proposed fines include $1,000 for a first offense, $2,500 for a second offense, $5,000 for a third offense, and $10,000 for using fireworks near a school, park, or critical infrastructure.
The proposed fines mirror those implemented last year in Sacramento for its own fireworks ordinance. Along with Sacramento, Oceanside staff also studied regulations in Elk Grove and Riverside.
Blake Dorse, community risk reduction division chief for the Oceanside Fire Department, said there is an impression in Oceanside that officials do not care about cracking down on illegal fireworks.
“By making an ordinance that outlines specific fines that’s consistent with what other jurisdictions have been working with, it will let people know that this is a serious illegal activity that the city takes seriously,” Dorse said.
In addition to the new regulations, the city is proposing a community education campaign, with information shared via social media, schools, and in various languages to ensure it reaches all residents.
Oceanside staff also proposed increasing enforcement around the Fourth of July holiday, forming additional enforcement teams during peak fireworks periods and using an unmanned aircraft system, or drone, to confirm reports of illegal fireworks use.
The approximately $42,000 cost of the additional enforcement teams could be covered partially by fines, Dorse said.
“However, the goal of any fireworks ordinance would be to discourage illegal firework acts and not to supplement city revenue,” he added.
According to fire calls-for-service data from the past three years, the department has received the most calls during the week of the Fourth of July, with around 300 calls in both 2024 and 2025.
The council also reviewed a heat map showing call-for-service areas from 2022 to 2025. The highest concentrations of calls are in the Townsite, South Oceanside, and Eastside Capistrano areas, the map shows.
Council members agreed that action is needed to curb illegal fireworks in the city. However, many shared concerns that the proposed fines are too high for many residents, noting that calls for service have been concentrated in more dense, low-income areas of the city.
Mayor Esther Sanchez asked whether the proposed fines could be cut in half for the first year to continue educating residents without as much of a financial burden.
“I am concerned that for some families, $1,000 is gonna be impossible,” Sanchez said.
Staff said they would consider the reduced fines when developing a draft ordinance.
Council members also asked city staff to clarify how close someone would need to be to a school or park to earn the increased $10,000 fireworks fine. Councilmember Jimmy Figueroa noted that certain areas are surrounded by far more parks and schools, which would make it easier for residents to rack up major fines.
Staff said the ordinance would also clarify this information.
Deputy Mayor Eric Joyce emphasized that education will play an important role in deterring residents from using illegal fireworks and, as a result, incurring major fines.
“I agree with you, we do need to do something, but we should be loud about it, and hopefully it impacts as few of our families as possible,” Joyce said.
Fire Chief David Parsons reiterated that illegal fireworks can cause serious and even fatal injuries, recalling the tragic death of 8-year-old Jasmine Nguyen of Anaheim during a Buena Park fireworks accident last summer.
Escondido creates ad hoc committee
Meanwhile, in Escondido, the City Council is taking a different approach by creating a new ad hoc subcommittee to study fireworks issues in greater depth.
The Escondido City Council voted to form the Ad-Hoc Subcommittee on Fireworks, tasked with engaging stakeholders, including the public, city officials, and the city’s fire and police departments. Mayor Dane White and Councilmember Consuelo Martinez were appointed to the subcommittee by unanimous vote during Tuesday’s City Council meeting.
City documents state that the “ad-hoc nature of the subcommittee ensures that its work remains focused, temporary, and issue specific, while allowing for a thorough and balanced examination of options.”
The subcommittee will present findings and recommendations to the City Council at future meetings and is not expected to have a direct financial impact, according to city documents.
The move follows a request from White and Deputy Mayor Joe Garcia made during the Jan. 14 City Council meeting.
During public comment, Gregg Oliver, a former board member of the Fire Safe Council of Southwest Escondido — now known as the Escondido Fire Safe Council — questioned why no members of the public would be appointed to the subcommittee.
Oliver said the general public, through groups such as the Escondido Fire Safe Council and Escondido Fights Illegal Fireworks, “were instrumental in initiating this action” and “in general developed strong expertise” on the subject.
White said subcommittees, by definition, do not include appointed members of the public, but emphasized collaboration for this effort.
“We will make sure the Fire Safe Council and her group are a part of that — for sure,” White said, referring to Heather Middleton, founder of Escondido Fights Illegal Fireworks.
Cameron Adams contributed to this report.
