With the fire season already off to an ominous start, the Ceres Police Department is trying to get ahead of the Fourth of July holiday by warning against firing off bottle rockets and mortars and lighting the fuses on M-80s firecrackers. If caught, it means getting stuck with a $2,500 administrative fine.

“As we approach the Fourth of July, we are starting to get a lot more calls for illegal fireworks,” newly appointed Ceres Police Chief Trenton Johnson told the City Council on Monday.

Chief Johnson said his department will beef up patrols on July 2-5 trying to catch people setting off illegal fireworks. Any firework that does not display the California “safe and sane” identification or anything that launches into the sky or explodes is an illegal firework.

Citizens may report the use of illegal fireworks through the Nail ‘em smartphone app. Reporting parties may take a picture to upload it or simply type in the address or the area that it’s coming from and Ceres Police will add that information into calls for service. The other option is to call the illegal fireworks hotline (209-538-LOUD or 209-538-5683) which will be manned for reports of illegal fireworks to keep the main 911 emergency line from being tied up. The special line will be staffed by police records personnel. Reports of illegal fireworks may also be emailed to fireworkshotline@cerespolice.com through Thursday, July 4.

“You can always call our non-emergency number (209-538-5712),” said the chief, “just know that if you do call our dispatch, that’s also where the 911 calls come in and you might get put on hold or there might be a delay because they’re extremely busy, especially on Fourth of July.”