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LA's City Attorney Is Working To Curb The Sale Of Illegal Fireworks

An image of people watching fireworks on a dark night in Los Angeles.
In the days leading up to the 4th of July, city and county officials called on Angelenos to leave fireworks to the professionals, especially given the continuing dry conditions this year.
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Frederic J. Brown
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Getty Images
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In the days leading up to the Fourth of July, city and county officials called on Angelenos to leave fireworks to the professionals, especially given the continuing dry conditions this year.

All fireworks — even ones labeled as "safe and sane" — are illegal in the city of Los Angeles and in most parts of L.A. County, but actually enforcing the bans can be a challenge.

Despite these laws, thousands of illegal fireworks were set off over the holiday weekend. So many fireworks were set off that the county issued several air quality warnings.

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L.A. City Attorney Mike Feuer says his office sent cease-and-desist letters to platforms like Craigslist and Facebook Marketplace where illegal fireworks are sold, resulting in the removal of hundreds of posts.

Feuer says more needs to be done to keep fireworks from getting here in the first place.

"As we go into the next Fourth of July season early, not just the weekend before but weeks before, there can I think be some more collaborations across jurisdictional lines to deal with the flow of illegal fireworks in the first place," said Feur to our newsroom's news affairs show AirTalk.

Last year, the LAPD says fireworks-related calls over the Fourth of July weekend increased by 72% compared to 2019. The department says figures for this year aren't yet available.

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