Drones help Riverside police spot illegal fireworks on Fourth of July

RIVERSIDE, Calif. (KABC) -- Riverside police said they issued over 60 citations on July Fourth for the use of illegal fireworks, more than double the number compared to the previous Independence Day holiday.

An official with the department said it's not necessarily that the use of illegal fireworks has risen, but rather that they're now using drones to spot residents firing illegal fireworks into the sky.

"It's video evidence, that's the main thing," said Officer Ryan Railsback. "Before the city council changed the law, you had to visually see it, and it's hard on the ground to see it, try to find it, and try to get eyes on it.

"From the drone, you're getting it almost instantly."

Railsback said they used five drones to patrol the skies over the city of Riverside on July Fourth and caught hundreds of violations, many occurring on individual properties.

But he said it's likely some of the people using illegal fireworks don't even know they were caught, because the citations weren't delivered in person, but are instead being sent by certified mail to property owners this week.

Property owners who are deemed to have allowed the use of illegal fireworks on their property face $1,500 fines.

Railsback said no significant fireworks related injuries were reported in the city on July Fourth, although two small fires were started likely by illegal fireworks.

Firefighters were able to extinguish both blazes before they could grow and cause any significant property damage.

"It's just completely dangerous," Railsback said about the use of illegal fireworks. "We're not even talking about how it triggers PTSD, and how it's making pets go completely berserk- but just the fire danger and the injury danger."