Riverside County tentatively approves increased penalties for illegal fireworks City News Service The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday tentatively voted to increase penalties for residents who ignite fireworks illegally in unincorporated communities within Riverside County, as well as designating places where legal pyrotechnics can be lit. This is where we begin to move forward, putting some teeth in to rectify some of our challenges,'' board Chair Karen Spiegel said ahead of the 5- 0 vote in favor of amending Ordinance No. 858. A second and final public hearing to formally adopt the changes is set for May 11. "The massive display of illegal fireworks (in July 2020) lasted for days and were responsible for multiple fires, and overwhelmed the county's 911 system, causing delays in critical responses to calls for help, stretching fire resources beyond their limits,'' according to an Executive Office statement posted to the board's agenda.