CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Commissioners agreed to ban the use of aerial fireworks due to the risk they pose during the holiday season.
Annaville Fire Department firefighter Mario Martinez said that the department has seen their fair share of brush fires caused by aerial fireworks.
"We have had a couple of instances where some firework fires have almost lead up to a disaster," he said.
The ban will be in effect from Dec. 20 until midnight Jan. 1.
Martinez said it just takes one spark from a firework to cause his team to swing into action.
"We've had some past calls with aerial fireworks where it started off officially as one little mortar that ended up causing really huge grassfires that we've had to fight before," he said.
Alice Fire Chief Patrick Thomas said that while Jim Wells County has not banned aerial fireworks, they are under a burn ban, meaning they need to stay at the ready for similar dangers.
"Pay attention to where that is going to land," he said. "They don't always extinguish when they land on the ground. That could potentially start a fire,"
Patrick said another factor to consider is the weather.
"The humidity levels being super low and our wind speed being super high can cause the perfect combination for a fire to spread rapidly," he said.
Which is why Martinez said self awareness is crucial when handling fireworks big or small.
"Do it in the area that's full of concrete. That isn't around any grass or trees or anything that can catch on fire," he said.