The city of Sedona is trying to warn people that using fireworks in Arizona is still illegal.

In May, the Arizona Legislature passed House Bill 2246, which legalizes the sale of certain small fireworks.

However, the law does not go into effect until the first day of December, so all fireworks in the state are still banned.

According to a city press release, cities and towns still have the ability to continue current prohibitions on the use of all fireworks, including consumer fireworks, and will ban them during the current fire season and beyond in and around the Sedona city limits.

Use of fireworks is a class 1 misdemeanor and is punishable by up to six months in jail and/or a $2,500 fine.

Sedona Fire District Deputy Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer Gary Johnson said the new fireworks bill will not make fireworks legal this Fourth of July, so there will be no real change from past years.

He said in past years SFD received calls about individuals using fireworks, but he is not sure if those calls were on Independence Day.

He said tourists or visitors from out of state may not know fireworks are illegal in Arizona because they are allowed in their home states.

He added there are visitors who realize they may be illegal after trying to find them to celebrate the holiday.

“I think there is a wide range of people who are unaware until they realize they cannot buy fireworks [here],” he said.

He said if the fire district is called to a location where fireworks are being used, and locates the individual using them, the situation will be assessed. The appropriate steps will be taken when fireworks are involved, and it is possible law enforcement could be contacted.

Johnson said because of Sedona’s makeup, the use of fireworks could cause major problems.

“Fireworks and our forest do not mix,” Johnson said. “Unfortunately, the Fourth of July falls at the height of the fire season and before the beginning of the monsoon rains.”

According to the National Fire Protection Association, there are 30,100 fires and 7,000 injuries caused by fireworks each year.

In 2008, there were seven fireworks-related deaths and $34 million in direct property loss.

Hospital emergency rooms in 2008 treated about 7,000 people for fireworks-related injuries, with most injuries occurring around July 4.

Of those 7,000 people treated, 46 percent of the injuries were to extremities, and another 36 percent were to the head.

According to the association, 56 percent of treatments were for were burns, and another 21 percent were for contusions and lacerations.

Two of five people injured by fireworks were under the age of 15.

Sparklers, fountain fireworks, Roman candles and other small firecrackers accounted for 18 percent of injuries.