Albuquerque Fire Rescue: 877 fireworks calls and 62 cease-and-desist orders

After the Fourth of July, Albuquerque Fire Rescue reported a surge in fireworks-related calls and enforcement actions connected to the city’s fireworks ordinance.

According to Albuquerque Fire Rescue, the city received 877 fireworks calls to 311 during the Fourth of July night. The Fire Marshal’s Office then issued 62 cease-and-desist orders on July 4, bringing the department’s 2026 total to 109 so far.

The Paper notes that some 311 calls may be duplicates for the same incident, so the 877 figure reflects call volume rather than necessarily unique addresses.

How Albuquerque’s cease-and-desist notices work

Albuquerque’s Fire Rescue guidance says addresses identified using illegal fireworks can receive a cease-and-desist order by mail. The city’s guidance and the notice template describe the order as an official notice that the owner and/or occupant was found to be in violation of city ordinance 0-19-63, Section 5609, based on testimony/witnessing by a member of Albuquerque Fire Rescue and/or the Albuquerque Police Department. The notice also says that if a second occurrence is recorded, illegal action may be taken.

Penalties the city says illegal fireworks can trigger

City guidance says using illegal fireworks is punishable by a citation and immediate confiscation. It also describes the violation as a misdemeanor with a mandatory court appearance, with penalties that can include a fine up to $500 and up to 90 days in jail.

What’s illegal in Albuquerque (and where)

The city’s fireworks guidance says the ordinance prohibits the sale and use of all aerial fireworks and ground audible devices within city limits. It also says fireworks are strictly prohibited in and around the Bosque or Open Space Areas.

On the prohibited-device examples list, the city includes aerial devices such as missile-type rockets, roman candles, shells, and stick type rockets. For ground audible devices, the city lists chasers (bottle rockets) and firecrackers.

Separately, the city says fireworks of any kind are not allowed to be discharged in the Bosque, open space areas, or city parks.

What residents should do next

If you’re planning a celebration this year, Albuquerque says compliance starts with the label and where you use fireworks:

• Read the label: if it says “WARNING,” it is illegal; if it says “CAUTION,” it is legal.
• Avoid the Bosque/open space areas and city parks: the city treats fireworks there as strictly prohibited.
• Use only the city’s permissible categories and keep fireworks away from homes, vegetation, and other combustibles.
• Report illegal fireworks: the city says you can report them online, via the ABQ311 mobile app, or by calling 311.

The city’s guidance makes clear that if addresses are identified using illegal fireworks, cease-and-desist orders can be issued by mail—along with potential citations and confiscation.

Key sources

• KOB.com (Jonathan Fjeld): AFR reported 877 fireworks calls and 62 cease-and-desist orders on July 4
• The Paper (ABQ): July 4 enforcement context and note that 311 calls may include duplicates
• City of Albuquerque Fire Rescue: Firework Ordinance & Safety (Illegal Fireworks Enforcement)