Wet Weather Dampens Fireworks Sales

chilled the sales of fireworks in Dixon on the first day that nonprofit groups were allowed to sell them Dixon Fire Chief Aaron McAlister said.

McAlister said that the fireworks are essentially on loan to the nonprofit agencies in Dixon; should the merchandise get wet from the rain, the nonprofit agency would be on the hook for the ruined fireworks.

Many of the nonprofit groups chose to either postpone sales or shorten the hours of the fireworks sales until dryer weather arrives, McAlister said. Dry weather is forecast for today.

McAlister gave an update on the number of fireworks booths to the Dixon City Council during last night’s regular meeting. He said that all but one of the permits to sell fireworks in Dixon were issued. He told the council that he expected to issue the final permit today.

At least one fireworks stand had great success in selling the fireworks Tuesday.

“We had a very large turnout this morning,” American Legion Post 208 Cmdr. Greg Coppes told the council during last night's meeting.

Coppes said the rain didn’t seem to bother the 60 people who lined up at the American Legion Auxiliary’s booth Tuesday morning located near . Coppes told the council that the stand grossed $1,900 Tuesday and that the majority of the sales were generated from out-of-towners.

 “A lot of people (were) from out of state,” he said, adding that customers came from Nevada and Iowa.

Coppes said the location of the booth, which is near a gas station, might have influenced their clientele. Dixon Fire Chief Aaron McAlister has told his fellow fire chiefs in neighboring cities that the fireworks sales are taking place in Dixon. He told them to let him know if any of Dixon’s fireworks cause incidents in their cities.

The has gone through great lengths to inform the public about the fireworks during the two-year pilot program approved by the Dixon City Council. All the information is available on the fire department's web site.

Today’s forecast calls for a 30 percent chance of showers and possible thunderstorms after 11 a.m., according to the National Weather Service. A high near 75 degrees is expected.

The weather is expected to hit over 100 degrees later this week. It was something that concerned Coppes, prompting him to ask the council if he could put up a flame-retardant canopy near the booth to make it more comfortable for workers as well as customers. McAlister commented that the canopy would add to the allowable square footage of the fireworks stand and that it would have to be approved by the state fire marshall.

The council directed Coppes to continue working with the Dixon Fire Department to determine if the canopy is a allowed.

The stands are located in the following locations: parking lot on E Dorset Drive, parking lot, (North First Street), (Pitt School Road), George’s Orange stand (West A Street), near the West A Street Exit (from east I-80 near ), near (North First Street), and (North First Street).

 The fireworks will be sold through July 4.