Fort Worth police and fire officials are seeing significant increases in reports of illegal fireworks during the July 4 holidays.
Fireworks are illegal in Fort Worth, with an ordinance banning the possession, storage or use of fireworks within city limits. People caught with fireworks face a Class C misdemeanor citation and fine. Police and fire officials warn that wildfires, structure fires and personal injury are common results of illegal fireworks use.
In 2023, the city received 2,437 calls about fireworks on Independence Day and the day prior, according to police data shared during a March 5 City Council work session. That was 458 more calls than the year prior, or a 23% increase.
District 9, home to downtown Fort Worth, the West 7th district and Near Southside, reported a 130% increase in fireworks reports between 2022 and 2023 — the largest of any district. Parts of south and far north Fort Worth also reported significant spikes, while portions of north and east Fort Worth saw small declines.
“The numbers are pretty scattered across the board, but I think probably more concerning for us is that if you look at it from 2019 to 2024, just the significant increase overall,” Fort Worth Police Executive Assistant Chief Robert Alldredge told council members.
Five years ago, police and fire received 782 fireworks calls across the city during Independence Day celebrations. By 2023, that number had risen to 2,437 — a 211% hike.
A surge in reports has not resulted in a similar increase in citations, Alldredge said.
“The challenge is, we have to catch people with them in their possession, and so that’s a really big challenge,” Alldredge said. “We have very limited citations across all of the years.”
Two years ago, Fort Worth police used city cameras and license plate information to track down violators, resulting in 35 fireworks citations in 2022 rather than the four issued in 2021. But the department dropped the pilot program after City Council members raised concerns about the tactic.
Council member Gyna Bivens, who represents east Fort Worth, attributed the decrease in fireworks reports in her district to neighborhood association leaders Torchy White, Cindy Boling and Judy Taylor. The women created a campaign against fireworks and planted yard signs advising people of the fines they could face if caught, Bivens said.
Other neighborhoods could replicate the campaign across the city, she added.
“It didn’t just happen because something magical happened,” Bivens said. “These three ladies, after meeting with police and fire and code, have brought about some tangible and measurable results.”
While July 4 fireworks use continues to be a challenge for law enforcement, New Year’s Eve fireworks reports declined by 15% between 2022 and 2023. Over the past five years, however, calls rose 194% — from 213 in 2019 to 627 last year.
Police urge residents to report fireworks to 817-392-4444 or use reportfireworks.fortworthtexas.gov so that 911 lines can be kept open for imminent threats to life or property. The MyFW app also includes a portal to report illegal fireworks.
Haley Samsel is the environmental reporter for the Fort Worth Report. You can reach them at haley.samsel@fortworthreport.org.
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