Groups defy California gov's fireworks ban

SACRAMENTO, June 27 (UPI) -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's request that Californians not buy fireworks this wildfire season appears to be going up in smoke.

Schwarzenegger's plea came in response to hundreds of brushfires raging throughout northern California and the unusually dry conditions statewide. Local groups are planning to sell Fourth of July fireworks regardless, The Orange County Register reported Friday.

The governor made the request Wednesday in Big Sur, an area where more than 19,000 acres have already burned.

"I know that the people that are selling all this stuff are going to go crazy now when I say this, but don't buy any of the fireworks," Schwarzenegger said. "Don't go out and do fireworks this year."

Five Orange County cities -- Buena Park, Costa Mesa, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Stanton -- are planning to continue allowing the sale of "safe and sane" fireworks as fundraisers for local groups.

"Of course we're continuing to sell. First of all that would ruin our program," said Luis Padilla, the president of a youth football organization. "For us it's a big help. We're a small city and the only help we get from the city is having a fireworks booth."