Rancho Cordova, Sacramento County enact tougher penalties for illegal fireworks ahead of July 4

With the Fourth of July just weeks away, officials in Rancho Cordova say they're enforcing much harsher penalties for people using illegal fireworks.

More often than not, it's illegal fireworks that pose the biggest risk. Open grassy fields can quickly go up in flames and threaten nearby homes.

This year, the consequences are serious. Ahead of the holiday, the City of Rancho Cordova is cracking down with much harsher penalties.

Violators can face a $1,000 fine for each illegal firework in their possession. Last year, the fine was per incident.

For illegal fireworks used on school grounds, the fine goes up to $10,000 per firework and up to six months in jail.

"So the penalties have really, really increased," Rancho Cordova Police Chief Shaun Hampton said. "We want to discourage people from utilizing those."

Last year, Rancho Cordova law enforcement received thousands of complaints and responded to hundreds of calls about illegal fireworks.

The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District saw much the same, with 53 firework-related fires that made for an 18% increase from the year before.

"Your illegal fireworks are highly unpredictable, will launch into the air and can even discharge early, causing significant bodily injury," said Deputy Fire Marshal Diana Freeman.

In response, Sacramento County leaders also approved tougher penalties this year: a $1,000 fine for each firework that's set off, with no limit on the total citations.

Both the county and Rancho Cordova will be using drones to try to catch people in the act.

"We've sustained some damages within our community over the last several years, but this year we're working to emphasize education," Hampton said.

Sacramento County officials say they're also supporting a statewide effort to work with Nevada to stop the illegal importing of fireworks into California.