Madera County, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

Madera County is roughly half Central Valley floor and half Sierra foothills, and fireworks rules differ sharply between the two. According to CAL FIRE (Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit), all fireworks, including state-approved 'Safe and Sane' items, are illegal in all areas east of the Madera Canal, which covers the foothill and mountain communities such as Oakhurst, Bass Lake and North Fork. These areas sit in the State Responsibility Area with high wildfire risk, so even normally legal fireworks are prohibited there. Where 'Safe and Sane' fireworks are sold or used in the valley, they must carry the State Fire Marshal seal; 'dangerous fireworks' (firecrackers, rockets, sky lanterns) are illegal statewide without a permit under the State Fireworks Law (Health & Safety Code section 12500 et seq.). The Madera County Board of Supervisors adopted an administrative-fine ordinance under which each individual illegal firework is cited separately: roughly $1,000 for a first offense, $5,000 for a second, and $10,000 for a third or subsequent offense, so a handful of items can total tens of thousands of dollars. Property owners can be cited even if they did not personally light the fireworks, and injury or death can bring felony charges. Madera County Fire Department organization is set out in county code Title 2, Chapter 2.32.