Berkeley July 4th safety tips: Avoid fireworks, hillside roads
Certain streets will be closed July Fourth with access limited mostly to residents. Details here.
Help keep Berkeley safe this holiday by not using fireworks within the city, especially in the hills.
Fireworks are illegal in Berkeley and many of its surrounding communities. They can cause severe injuries and start fires — posing threats of fires and health risks especially in the hills where dry grass and vegetation is abundant providing fuel for fires to spread quickly.
To help better protect the hills, certain streets will be closed on July Fourth with access limited mostly to residents during the hours specified below:
- Grizzly Peak Boulevard, from Centennial Drive to Skyline Boulevard (24-hour closure starting at 5 a.m.)
- Panoramic Way (Closed from 2 p.m. until midnight)
- Prospect Street (Closed from 2 p.m. until midnight)
Celebrate the Fourth as best suits your household while also helping to keep Berkeley safe for everyone.
Grizzly Peak closure also affects Lawrence Hall Of Science, UC Botanical
To lower fire risk and allow quick emergency vehicle access, the closed portion of Grizzly Peak Boulevard will be open only to the following:
- residents on car, bike, or foot
- ride-share vehicles
- delivery vehicles
City personnel will not allow traffic past these points unless people can show they live on Grizzly Peak Boulevard or in the immediate area. Traffic posts will be in place to prevent through traffic at:
- Centennial Drive between Stadium Rim Way and Grizzly Peak Boulevard
- Lomas Cantadas and Grizzly Peak Boulevard
- South Park and Grizzly Peak Boulevard
- Claremont Avenue, Fish Ranch Road and Grizzly Peak Boulevard
- Skyline Boulevard and Grizzly Peak Boulevard
No stopping will be allowed along Grizzly Peak, where all turnouts will be closed. The Lawrence Hall of Science and UC Botanical Gardens will also be closed.
All closures are coordinated in partnership with UC Berkeley, the City of Oakland, the East Bay Regional Park District and Alameda County.
Fireworks illegal throughout Berkeley
Fireworks—including those marketed as "safe and sane" — are not allowed in Berkeley. Nor are they allowed in East Bay Regional Parks including Tilden Regional Park and McLaughlin Eastshore State Park.
You may be liable for fires, injuries and property damage caused by your fireworks. If you have or find fireworks, give them to personnel at any Berkeley Fire Station for safe disposal.
If you see fireworks being discharged, please report them to Berkeley police non-emergency dispatch at 510-981-5900.
Celebrate safely — for yourself and our community.
Related stories
City of Berkeley
City of Berkeley
This item was originally published on the city of Berkeley website. Subscribe to receive city of Berkeley news by email or follow the city of Berkeley on Twitter.
