Christmas has come and gone, so now the focus is on New Year's Eve. Lots of neighbors plan to ring in the new year with fireworks, but if you don't follow the rules, you could catch some heat yourself.
Here's what you need to know.
A lot depends on where you’ll be on the night of New Year’s Eve. Fireworks are illegal in city limits, And because Nueces County is under water restrictions, there’s also a fire ban in Nueces County outside of city limits.
“Fireworks are able to be used in those outer limits, but they did ban some of those aerial fireworks,” CCFD Assistant Chief Fire Marshall Tony Perez said.
Perez said the two fireworks that are banned are skyrockets with sticks and missiles with fins. They can cause all types of fires.
“There was a brush pile up against the house, and it was from fireworks several years ago, and it was actually a resident utilizing fireworks, and he burned his neighbor's house,” Perez said.
Those who are caught may get a fine of up to $2000 for each opened package of fireworks.
Perez said his crew also saw increased brush fires in the dunes.
“The big problem with that for us is that it’s not all accessible. There are no roads that go through the dunes. We do have four-wheel drive brush units, but even in sand, it’s very difficult,” Perez said.
And with the Coastal Bend wind, fires will spread even faster and will be harder to get control of. But if you practice safe and responsible use of fireworks, you can stick to your New Year's Eve tradition without putting yourself in legal trouble or putting others at risk.
“Ten days prior to New Year's Eve, firework stands will start to open,” Perez said.
Mr. W Fireworks on 6402 Old Brownsville Road is one of those stands. The Figueroa family has run their location for the last fourteen years and just opened less than a week ago.
“It’s fun getting to know what the customer wants. Since I know almost every product at the store, I can suggest to them what would fit them best,” Christian said.
Christian said people usually start coming in around the 27 and 28. Their firework stand gives veterans a 10% discount. They also have a deal. For every $25 spent, customers get a raffle ticket. They can win 10 different items, each worth around $100 or over.
If someone has pets, it's best to keep them inside on New Year's Eve. If they leave their pets outdoors, they may run away and get lost because of the fireworks.
Lines are already open to report illegal fireworks use. That number is 361-886-COPS. If neighbors see a fire taking place, call 911 immediately.
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