If you swing by one of the ubiquitous booths that pops up this time of the year to buy so called "safe and sane" fireworks to celebrate the July Fourth holiday in loud fashion, congratulations. In some cities in Monterey County, you're a law-abiding citizen and allowed to blow up as many safe and sane fireworks as time and money allows.

But if you're importing the very loud, very bright and very illegal fireworks from outside the county and even outside the state, consider reserving a little spending money to pay the sizable fine that will be sent your way if you get caught.

In Monterey County, safe and sane fireworks are only allowed in Marina, Seaside, Salinas, Soledad, Gonzales, Greenfield and King City. How you know you're buying safe and sane fireworks is the state Fire Marshal's Office seal placed on the packaging.

Fireworks of any type are not allowed in any other area within Monterey County, including all unincorporated areas, state and county parks and federal property. They're also not allowed on any beach in the county.

Per the Monterey County Sheriff's Office, dangerous fireworks are defined as anything that explodes, launches, flies or doesn't bear the state Fire Marshal's seal, and it's illegal and a possible misdemeanor to possess or use dangerous fireworks in the state.

In Pacific Grove, all fireworks, including safe and sane, are illegal; the P.G. Police Department asks violations be reported to 647-7900 ext. 3. All fireworks are also banned in the city of Monterey, and violations can be reported to the Monterey PD's non-emergency line, 646-3914.

Seaside has what its calling a zero-tolerance policy on the possession and use of dangerous fireworks; and safe and sane fireworks, meanwhile, can only be sold and used in the city from noon June 28 to noon on July 6.

If you're caught with dangerous fireworks, you could face a fine of between $500 and $50,000, depending on the total gross weight of fireworks you have, and up to a year in jail.

Given the whole state is a tinderbox, though (thanks global warming), it might be best to skip the fireworks altogether and instead avail yourself of non-explosive events happening all over the county. Hit seemonterey.org for some of those events, or check out the Weekly's Hot Picks section for more.

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Skybooms and Citations: What you can expect this July Fourth about fireworks. - Monterey County Weekly