INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – As the nightly display of illegal fireworks increases ahead of the Fourth of July, authorities are out with warnings about the consequences.

Those caught firing off their own pyrotechnics face fines between $1,000 and $5,000 depending on the number of violations.

Last year in Riverside County, 269 citations were issued. There were 14 arrests and more than 3,600 pounds of illegal fireworks seized.

In Moreno Valley, police say illegal fireworks are their number one non-emergency priority.

Despite billboards, road signs and social media messaging, those bent on ignoring the consequences are ramping up their activity in neighborhoods throughout the Inland Empire. Two people have suffered serious injuries, authorities reported.

Story Date: June 24, 2022