Firework-Related Fires Plague California Cities on Independence Day

For the second year in a row, Oakland police did not issue any citations for illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July, despite numerous complaints from residents. The police department cited resource allocation towards addressing other crimes as the reason for the lack of enforcement. However, the Oakland Interim Fire Chief reported a lighter night than expected, with only two small grass fires caused by fireworks. The police department acknowledged the challenge of enforcing all laws in a city of over 400,000 people and emphasized the need for better public safety measures.