Through the end of March, the city of Orange is accepting applications from local nonprofits for permits to sell fireworks this Independence Day.
The city will issue 12 permits for fireworks stands to operate around town from July 1 through 4.
Of those, four will go to the public and private high schools in Orange (El Modena, Orange, Richland Continuation and Orange Lutheran) to support sports teams, booster clubs and other school organizations.
The city will issue the other eight permits in a lottery this spring.
Organizations can apply for the lottery if they represent a nonprofit, charity, school or college located in Orange.
Interested groups can find additional criteria and the city’s application form at cityoforange.org.
This will be the first year that Orange will allow the sale and use of fireworks for the holiday
In November, Orange voters overwhelmingly approved Measure AA, which legalized the sale, possession and use of so-called safe and sane fireworks for the holiday.
Eleven cities in Orange County, including Anaheim, Santa Ana, Garden Grove and Villa Park — which neighbor Orange — also allow the sale of the state-regulated fireworks before July 4.
Proponents say the selling of fireworks helps community groups in these cities raise hundreds of thousands of dollars annually.
