Dozens of California cities cancel Fourth of July fireworks after deadly warehouse blast
The blast occurred Tuesday evening at a warehouse operated by Devastating Pyrotechnics near Esparto. The explosion ignited a wildfire that burned nearly 80 acres and left seven people unaccounted for, according to state and local fire officials.
The facility supplied fireworks to numerous municipalities throughout the region.
As a result, at least a dozen scheduled fireworks shows have been canceled or postponed.
In San Jose, the city called off its Lake Cunningham Park fireworks display but will move forward with the rest of the festivities, including a parade and live music.
'Our fireworks vendor was directly impacted by the warehouse explosion,' said Daniel Candelas, a city spokesperson. 'However, we are working to pivot to a drone show.'
Cloverdale's annual Chuck Sibert Pyro Spectacular, long a mainstay of the town's holiday celebration, was canceled by the Lions Club. The group cited the destruction of their fireworks inventory in the Yolo County blast.
Other affected events include the Lodi Lake Fireworks Show, the St. Helena Fourth of July display, and the show at Chico's Silver Dollar Speedway.
The New Stockton 99 Speedway canceled its July 3 fireworks, though its racing program will continue. In Marysville, the Yuba-Sutter fireworks event was postponed to July 5 and will use a different vendor.
The Esparto Volunteer Firefighters Association also canceled its own July 5 show 'out of respect for the families and community affected by the recent tragic events.'
In St. Helena and other parts of wine country, officials pointed not only to the warehouse explosion but also to extreme heat and heightened fire danger in their decisions to cancel fireworks.
San Francisco's waterfront fireworks display remains on schedule, and some inland cities unaffected by the warehouse blast are moving ahead with their plans.
Still, the ripple effect from the Yolo County explosion has cast a shadow over what is typically one of the busiest nights of the year for public celebrations across the state.
State and federal investigators, including the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, are working to determine the cause of the explosion. Evacuation orders remain in place around the site.
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