Police, fire departments report violations of fireworks ban and related damage

Tacoma police responded to 135 calls from July 3-5 regarding violations of the city’s fireworks ban.

Wendy Haddow, public information officer for the Tacoma Police Department, said there were 84 fireworks-related calls on July 3, 35 on July 4, and 48 on July 5.

The number is lower on the Fourth because officers were responding to other types of calls, Haddow said.

Haddow says 64 warning letters and no citations were issued from July 3-5. A citation carries a $257 fine.

There were 65 warning letters issued around the Fourth of July last year, according to Haddow.

The Tacoma Fire Department responded to 29 fireworks-related fires, according to department spokesman Joe Meineke. He says there was one dumpster fire; 20 grass, brush, or tree fires; one vehicle fire; five structure fires; and two uncategorized fires tied to fireworks between July 3-5.

This year saw a few more fireworks-related fires than last year, when the fire department responded to 23 fires between June 26 and July 6.

Haddow said police patrolled for fireworks violations for three days rather than seven as in years past. She said this decision was made due to budget and staffing considerations and because there was no large fireworks show in Tacoma because of COVID-19.

This story was originally published July 15, 2020 at 1:25 PM.