Inglewood Bans All Fireworks, Including Safe and Sane

On Feb. 11, the Inglewood City Council heard oral arguments both in support of and against the ban of safe and sane fireworks usage in the City. After confirming that this was only the first reading of the ordinance, Mayor James Butts assured the audience that the decision was not final.

“I want to make it clear to people that this is not final. So, they know they got like, 60 days to persuade us, alright? All hope is not lost,” Butts said.

But just one week later, the City Council agreed unanimously that no more persuasion was needed raising concerns about whether this decision truly addresses public safety or simply creates more questions than answers.

While the ban targets all fireworks, including “safe and sane” varieties, the primary complaints from residents—noise disturbances and safety hazards—are largely caused by illegal, high-powered explosives that are already prohibited by state law. 

By eliminating the sale of legal fireworks, does the City believe it will reduce the presence of illegal ones?

At last week’s Council meeting, community members were split on the issue. Some, like Eddie Frye, a 10-year Marine Corps veteran, supported the ban due to safety concerns.

“We didn’t play with fireworks in the service, because we knew what it would do,” Frye said. “Safe and sane, the ones we bring in from Arizona and all those places, they’re all unsafe.”

Others, however, advocated for keeping safe and sane fireworks legal, particularly because of their economic impact. Joy Robinson, a longtime business owner in Inglewood, spoke on how fireworks sales help fund community services.

“Our agency helps youth, homeless, and disenfranchised families stay together,” Robinson explained. “We would not be able to help low and no-income clients unless we had the funding from the fireworks stands. We use the funds to give back to the community. My business has been in Inglewood for the last almost 35 years, we need this as a non-profit, because people are not donating.”

Other groups, including the Inglewood Little League, also relied on fireworks sales for fundraising.

Adding another layer of complexity, neighboring cities still permit the sale of safe and sane fireworks. This means Inglewood residents can easily purchase fireworks elsewhere and bring them back into the city, raising enforcement concerns. Despite passing the ordinance, city officials have yet to outline a concrete plan for enforcement, leaving residents questioning how effective this ban will actually be. 

With no enforcement plan in place and unanswered questions about the actual impact of the ban, it remains unclear whether the City Council’s decision will result in a quieter, safer Inglewood—or if it will simply penalize responsible community members without addressing the real issue at hand.