As the New Year’s celebrations draw closer, many people in Bexar County and San Antonio are expected to pop fireworks. Let’s take a look at how you can safely celebrate the New Year.
Setting off fireworks inside San Antonio’s city limits is illegal but that shouldn’t fizzle your night if you’re looking to bring in 2016 with a bang.
Outside the city limits in unincorporated Bexar Coumty you can unleash small works with some limitations. You’re okay if you stay 600 feet away from a church, school, or hospital and 100 feet away from fuel storage facilities like gas stations. “As long as you are away from a residence or even your neighbors home you want to make sure you’ve got at least 100 feet away from structures,” Bexar County Fire Marshall Chris Lopez said.
Lopez recommends parking lots or sandy areas and to stay away from grassy fields to prevent fires. Small fireworks like bottle rockets are fine but large professional fireworks are illegal without county permission.
This is the first year fireworks stands are allowed to set-up less than 5000 feet from a city limit thanks to a new state law. Lopez says the requests for new stores have gone up as a result. “I would say that we probably have in the neighborhood of 150 stands and now we’re well 225 and they’ll still coming in for permits today,” he added.
Firework use inside San Antonio carries up to a $2000 fine. The county has a fireworks hotline set up to report dangerous use. The number: 335-FIRE.
