ZERO TOLERANCE BEST TO LEAVE FIREWORKS TO THE PROS.

Byline: Greg Botonis Staff Writer

PALMDALE - Expect bombs bursting in air and rockets' red glare tonight in Antelope Valley skies.

But authorities say they are taking steps to combat the thousands of illegal fireworks ignited every Fourth of July: The city has established not only a task force to catch people using them, but also a telephone hotline and a Web site so that neighbors can report them in advance.

``The Sheriff's Department and the Fire Department is inundated with illegal fireworks calls every year,'' said Public Safety Officer Anne Ambrose. ``We wanted to find the best way to deal with that, but there's an endless supply of the illegal fireworks into the valley.''

Last July 4, sheriff's and fire officials in Palmdale confiscated more than 1,000 skyrockets, firecrackers and other illegal fireworks, which they said was a tiny fraction of what was exploded.

They cited two people: a juvenile who had explosive devices and a 31-year-old Palmdale man who was trying to sell hundreds of dollars worth of fireworks from his car trunk.

The man told deputies he drove to Pahrump, Nev., to buy the fireworks. In his car, he had a list of addresses of people who ordered fireworks, and he was also selling fireworks to other celebrants, officials said.

Last year, sheriff's deputies also confiscated a 5 1/2-foot-long plastic tube that a man wearing a kilt was using to launch potatoes. The potatoes were propelled by hair spray squirted into the base of the tube and ignited by a camping lantern sparker.

The man told deputies he assumed the ``potato gun'' was legal because he bought it on the Internet.

``If it flies, propels or goes boom, it's illegal,'' said sheriff's Sgt. Kyle Bistline, a member of the fireworks task force. ``I don't know how much more simply it can be explained.''

This year, sheriff's officials said they can use a new city ordinance to impound the vehicle of anyone transporting illegal fireworks.

``Last year, we were primarily warning folks,'' Bistline said. ``This year, we have a zero-tolerance policy.''

Bistline added that many people think possession of illegal fireworks is a misdemeanor. He said anyone possessing an M-80 or a more powerful firework is guilty of being in possession of a destructive device, which is a felony.

All fireworks, even ``safe and sane'' fireworks, are illegal in Lancaster, as well as everywhere else in the Antelope Valley, except Palmdale and east Kern County. Fireworks are also illegal in Palmdale's foothills south of the California Aqueduct, which includes the new Anaverde community.

The new Palmdale Web site and hotline are not a real-time reporting system but a way to alert the task force in advance on neighborhoods where illegal fireworks are historically a problem.

To report illegal fireworks actually being used, call the Palmdale sheriff's station at [phone] or the Lancaster sheriff's station at [phone].

Last week, a Lancaster man blew off seven fingers while holding an illegal firework that he thought would shoot off sparks, but instead exploded.

Last week in Palmdale, deputies cited a man caught shooting off illegal fireworks. He told them he thought they were legal and had bought them at a fireworks stand in east Palmdale.

Upon further questioning, deputies said they had learned he had bought them from someone selling them out of a minivan near a legal ``safe and sane'' fireworks stand.

Deputies said they haven't been able to confirm the story but don't believe that the legal stand operators had any knowledge of any illegal activity, if the story is true.

While Palmdale allows ``safe and sane'' fireworks to be sold by community groups - after voters in 1992 rejected a proposal to ban them after years of complaints about the danger - city officials encourage people to attend public Fourth of July fireworks displays, like the annual show at Palmdale High School.

``The city of Palmdale's Parks and Recs' Department puts the show on, and it's amazing,'' Ambrose said. ``It's an awesome event.''

Greg Botonis, [phone]

gregory.botonis(at)dailynews.com

FIREWORKS SHOWS

For people who would rather watch than light their own fireworks, there are free public displays tonight in Palmdale and Lancaster. Acton also hosts its annual parade today.

--PALMALE - Gates open at 6:30 p.m. at Riewer Field at Palmdale High School, 2137 E. Ave. R. Live music by The Bytes will start at 7:30 p.m. The fireworks display will begin at dusk.

--LANCASTER - Gates open at 6 p.m. at the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, 2551 W. Ave. H. Musical entertainment runs from 7 to 8:45 p.m. Fireworks will begin at dusk. The show will open with an Air Force jet flyover.

--ACTON - The Fourth of July Parade begins at 9 a.m. along Crown Valley Road south of the Antelope Valley Freeway. The theme this year is ``Booths and Bonnets.'' A festival will open at the Acton Community Club on Smith Avenue west of Crown Valley Road immediately after the parade. Crown Valley Road south of the Antelope Valley Freeway will be closed from 7:30 a.m. until about noon.

- Daily News

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(color) Carlos Henriquez of Palmdale buys fireworks with his son Bryan at the Antelope Valley Attack Baseball Club stand.

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FIREWORKS SHOWS (see text)