Fireworks

Playing with fire is in Jim Souza's blood. For more than 100 years, his family has made a living from fireworks, and since 1991, Souza has headed Rialto-based Pyro Spectaculars Inc., one of the biggest players in the industry. So it should come as no surprise that Souza calls the Fourth of July "the happiest day of the year." It's also the most profitable. Fireworks use is exploding, up 84% since 2000 to 281.5 million pounds, according to the American Pyrotechnics Assn. The Bethesda, Md.

Blasting off fireworks on the Fourth of July is something of a birthright in Lakewood, a suburb north of Long Beach known for miles of tract homes and a passion for youth sports. But in March, a massive explosion set off by fireworks raised a house off its foundation and shook homes two miles away. "That was a wake-up call," said Donald Waldie, the city's spokesman.

A Simi Valley man's home caught fire Tuesday morning after illegal fireworks landed on his wood-shingled roof, authorities said. Investigators are trying to determine who set off the bottle rockets that destroyed the roof and forced firefighters to drench the home with water, leaving it uninhabitable.

Teenagers playing with fireworks started a brush fire that burned 6 acres of parkland late Wednesday, according to Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Stephen Miller. The fire, which began about 10 p.m. north of Yorba Linda in Chino Hills State Park, took firefighters about two hours to contain, he said. Three boys -- ages 15, 16 and 17 -- were lighting fireworks and started a fire that grew out of control, authorities said.

A small fire erupted at Los Angeles City Hall on Saturday night during a fireworks display on the south lawn that was part of a black-tie fundraiser for historic preservation projects, authorities said. The blaze broke out about 9 p.m. during the fireworks show at the gala, which was attended by about 200 people, including Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. "It appeared one of the fireworks got into the ninth floor, causing the sprinklers to act," said Assistant Fire Chief Michael Fulmis.

Fears that major fireworks shows may be polluting the Pacific Ocean could dampen pyrotechnics displays along the California coast. A threatened lawsuit by an environmental group prompted SeaWorld San Diego to scrap its fireworks shows for the rest of the year, and beach cities are wondering if heightened scrutiny by state regulators will make fireworks for the Fourth of July and other traditional celebrations too expensive to support.

Re "Boom May Be Lowered on Offshore Fireworks," Sept. 9 SeaWorld San Diego has accepted that it might have overdone its fireworks shows and has stopped them. This should have ended this fight. No such luck. The environmental group that's against all this fun wants us to give up watching any fireworks shows near a beach. What's next, doing away with celebrating the Fourth of July? It's time to stop all this nonsense. RON SALMONS \o7Pacific Palisades \f7\o7 \f7

Sixteen alleged members or associates of a Santa Ana street gang were arrested Thursday following a yearlong undercover investigation into drug sales in their neighborhood, police said. Three of them -- Juan Verdin, 28, Adrian Nava, 24, and Jesus Vasquez, 41 -- were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Santa Ana today, according to a statement by the FBI, which acted jointly with the Santa Ana Police Department.

A man on probation for illegally storing fireworks was arrested Thursday at his Santa Ana home, where probation officers found detonating cord and blasting caps, police said. Richard Helgason, 50, was booked on suspicion of possessing destructive devices, said Santa Ana police Officer Victor Standke. Probation officers, along with members of the Orange County bomb squad, went to Helgason's home on North Olive Lane about 6:45 a.m. to "conduct a probation search," Standke said.