By Sara Beth Williams–
Citrus Heights Police have so far identified over 300 separate violations of illegal fireworks activity following Fourth of July holiday celebrations, resulting in more than $300,000 in fines.
Citrus Heights City Manager Ash Feeney relayed Wednesday during the Citrus Heights City Council meeting, that the police department has recorded over 300 separate violations from over 40 locations in the city, resulting in fines topping $300,000. Additional evidence and verification of violations is still ongoing.
Citrus Heights Police Logs show almost 300 illegal fireworks calls between July 3 and July 5, with the majority of calls occurring on July 4, compared to only 35 logged fireworks calls occurring from June 26 through July 2.
Police logs on July 3 showed 43 fireworks calls, with only two duplicate calls; July 4 saw 167 illegal fireworks calls, not including 56 duplicate calls, and July 5 saw 18 reports of illegal fireworks, excluding four duplicate calls. A total of 10 citations were issued on July 4 for illegal fireworks activity, according to police logs, but more have been issued since then, and investigations are continuing, Feeney said.
Only three citations were listed on July 4, 2024, police incident logs.
Historically illegal fireworks have been a challenge throughout the city and the region, with over 500 fireworks calls reported in the city in in 2022, 175 fireworks calls reported in 2023, and 177 reported in 2024, according to prior Sentinel reports.
In 2022, the City Council approved an ordinance banning all fireworks after 11 p.m., including ones labeled “safe and sane.” Since becoming part of the City Council, Mayor Jayna Karpinski-Costa has called for “stiffer” illegal fireworks penalties, responding to multiple citizens’ complaints over the danger and noise disturbances of illegal explosions late into the night.
In April 2025, the City Council approved increases in illegal fireworks fines from $750 to $1,000 for a first offense and revised the social host ordinance to include property that is under the “apparent control” of a property owner, which may include sidewalks or other adjacent land. The revised illegal fireworks and social host ordinances allow police departments to tighten enforcement capabilities, the city has said.
At the end of last year and into this year, the Police Department has piloted a witness attestation program, which allows officers to press charges on residents who light off illegal fireworks from witnesses willing to testify in person that they observed illegal fireworks being discharged.
A full report of the extent of illegal fireworks violations and citations will be presented to the City Council at the next City Council on Aug. 13 by Citrus Heights Police Chief Alex Turcotte.
Citrus Heights Police emphasize on their website that information displayed in daily incident logs is comprised of information “as it is known at the time” and is susceptible to “some degree of error” due to the collection and entry of the data.
“No warranty or guarantee is made or implied regarding the content, geographic accuracy, timeliness, completeness, sequence, or accuracy of any information provided herein. The reader should not rely on the data provided herein for any reason. The information is provided strictly as a courtesy to the public,” the department says.
