How many fireworks complaints did the City receive this week?

Residents filed far fewer complaints about illegal fireworks on July 4th and the days leading up to it this year than they did last year — and there were significantly fewer outside fires.

Lt. Jason Fejer, a spokesperson for Albuquerque Fire Rescue, said in a news release that all reports of illegal fireworks were routed through 311 and the 311 app and uploaded to a mapping system to generate heat maps showing where the most activity was. 

He said the Fire Marshal’s Office sent two inspectors in their Fireworks Education Unit (FEU) to patrol the areas that were generating the most calls and saw the most activity last year. 

“The FEU’s primary objectives are public education, inspections of fireworks vendors and responding to reports of illegal fireworks dispatched by the Fire Marshal,” Fejer wrote.

Fejer said there were around 700 fewer complaints about fireworks this year compared to last year. However, he said the department issues more “cease and desist” orders — 168 this year compared to 123 last year.

Fire crews also responded to 49 outside fires on July 4 through the morning hours of July 5. Last year they responded to 140 outside fires. 

Fejer said due to hot weather and drought conditions, AFR upped its patrols of Open Space and the Bosque over the holiday. He said seven “wildland apparatus” patrolled the areas with the highest fire danger and were available to respond to calls but no significant events were reported. 

“Recent moisture is a big factor in the reduction of outside fires and no significant events occurring in Albuquerque’s Open Space and Bosque,” Fejer said.

Fire Marshal Jason Garcia thanked everyone who complied with firework restrictions and who reported illegal fireworks and said he shared residents’ concerns and frustrations.

“The 4^th of July is always one of the most challenging nights of the year for our department and we will continue to meet the challenge and to do everything we can to keep our community safe,” he said.