Alpine County, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

There are no incorporated cities in Alpine County, so the entire county — Markleeville (the county seat), Kirkwood, Bear Valley, Woodfords, Alpine Village and all surrounding land — is governed by the County. The Alpine County Code does not contain a chapter authorizing the sale or use of 'safe and sane' fireworks; instead its Statutory References table simply points to the California State Fireworks Law at Health & Safety Code section 12500 et seq. and the fireworks-permit provisions at section 12640 et seq. Under that state law, 'dangerous' fireworks (firecrackers, sky rockets, bottle rockets, Roman candles) are illegal statewide, and 'safe and sane' fireworks are legal only in jurisdictions that have affirmatively allowed them by local ordinance. Because Alpine County has not passed such an ordinance, even state-approved safe-and-sane fireworks have no place where they are authorized in the county. The county's zoning code (Title 18, Industrial Zone) lists manufacturing of explosives and fireworks among prohibited industrial uses. The setting reinforces the restriction: nearly all of Alpine County is State Responsibility Area in High and Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones, and the 2021 Tamarack Fire — ignited by lightning on July 4, 2021 — burned about 68,600 acres and forced the evacuation of Markleeville and neighboring communities. Federal lands (Humboldt-Toiyabe and Stanislaus National Forests, BLM) also ban fireworks year-round.