Each year, #fireworks are responsible for starting thousands of fires, often with disastrous consequences. Berkeley residents are divided when it comes to providing a solution for the problem, and the city has declared that "fireworks - including those marketed as 'safe and sane' - are not allowed in Berkeley."

The El Dorado Fire began at 10:23 a.m. on September 5, 2020. How can experts be so sure of the exact time? Because they know what caused it: a "pyrotechnic device" set off from the El Dorado Ranch Park in Yucaipa. By the time the blaze was extinguished more than two months later, it had destroyed nearly 23,000 acres of land and claimed the life of one firefighter.

#Fireworks started a reported 19,500 fires in the year of 2018 alone. The City Council of Berkeley passed an emergency resolution proposed by Councilmember Susan Wengraf in 2020 to take instant action against illegal fireworks in high-risk areas. 

In the past, reports of illegal fireworks and trash can fires have been routed to the non-emergency line. These calls were not immediately dispatched or attended to as quickly as high-priority emergencies, a reserved classification for in-progress crimes and life-threatening situations. There has been talk of "promoting" illegal fires and fireworks to a higher priority that warrants immediate engagement from the police.

Some people believe that fireworks and uncontrolled fires (such as those in trash cans) are an imminent threat to the environment and residents of Berkeley, mainly when the weather is hot and dry. They say the city needs to do more to protect the people and properties in and around Berkeley. Others believe that reclassifying illegal fireworks as a higher-priority emergency is a short-sighted move that will stretch the fire department too thin and prevent them from responding to more critical situations. 

The question up for debate: Should the Berkeley City Council treat #IllegalFireworks and trash can #fires as high-priority emergencies?