Illegal firework hotline nets 750 calls, 8 citations

From KOB-TV.com - By: Elizabeth Reed, KOB.com - Bernalillo County fire officials said their illegal firework hotline was so busy, they couldn't keep up with the calls on the Fourth of July. The Albuquerque Fire Department handed out an estimated eight citations and fielded nearly 750 calls about illegal fireworks in the past two nights.
     According to preliminary numbers from AFD, fire marshal inspectors issued one illegal firework citation on July 3 and seven on July 4. The city's illegal firework hotline received 666 calls on the Fourth of July alone. The number of calls slightly surpassed last year's by 18.
     Bernalillo County fire spokesman Larry Gallegos said they sent extra patrols to the Bosque and the North Valley neighborhoods due to increased fire risk. "We are not only going in the bosque where we know it's dry, but in neighborhoods," he said. "We believe people really like to see the fire department out checking - checking for those illegal fireworks, but also for illegal burns."
     AFD reminds the public that despite the rain, wildfires and structure fires can still occur with the improper use of both legal and illegal fireworks. Read more

Illegal firework hotline nets 750 calls, 8 citations