This was particularly noticeable during the coverage of Gilroy's lightning-strike fires of last weekend. The second silver lining is that our home produces less than half the paper recycling waste that it did a year ago.

Speaking of timely coverage, I woke up Wednesday wondering if we Gilroyans would be allowed to fire off our personal safe and sane fireworks on the glorious Fourth of July. City Council had convened an emergency meeting Tuesday night to discuss whether to ban them, and the online Dispatch had the answer: no ban. Now, I love fireworks, all fireworks, and I love the fact that I was able to bring my kids up in the only city in Santa Clara County that allows citizens to celebrate the Independence Day traditionally, with a bang and a shower of sparks. And it made me very sad to think that on this, our youngest child's last Fourth of July before she leaves home for college, we might not be able to wave sparklers in the sulfur-scented air. But even I had to admit that this year there was cause to consider a ban.

The rains stopped early. The state is tinder-dry. Last weekend's fire from heaven ignited over 700 fires across California, two in Gilroy. The firefighters are busy and perhaps do not have the time nor the manpower to ride herd on 50,000 people all bent on shooting off fireworks. The argument brought forward by community groups who sell fireworks as a fund-raiser was not particularly compelling to me.

If a particular fund-raiser is banned, the group needs to pick another fund-raiser. Or work harder. Or pay more. In any case, deal with it. In any event, the council voted, 5 to 1, to allow the sale and use of legal fireworks to continue this year, Peter Arellano dissenting. (Mayor Al is in the Azores again.)

Over the past eight years, there have been 18 Fourth of July fires, an average of two fires per year. Only four of those fires are known to have been caused by misuse of legal fireworks. No fires are known to have been caused by appropriate use of legal fireworks, because, used appropriately, legal "safe-and-sane" fireworks do not cause fires.

Appropriate use of legal fireworks means that the site is chosen away from vegetation and structures, that a bucket of water and a hose are kept handy, and that children are supervised. The worst year Gilroy has had for firework damage was 2003, when one major structure fire was caused by idiots firing an illegal bottle rocket, which landed on a roof and ignited the house. The same year, one major structure fire was caused by other idiots who set off legal fireworks next to a bush, which in turn ignited the building adjacent. Also one grass fire was caused by still more idiots using illegal fireworks.

In 2004 and 2005, by contrast, Gilroy saw only one minor fire due to illegal fireworks in each year. It may not be a coincidence that the safest years immediately followed the worst year. There is a story, perhaps apocryphal, about a city where the fire department went on strike. The people were warned to be extremely careful about fire lest the whole city burn. Reported fires plummeted to a fraction of the usual incidence. When the fire fighters went back to work, fire incidence rose back to its usual level.

I love all fireworks, but I beg all firework users to be scrupulously careful this year. And I beg all illegal firework users to go elsewhere. Please do not imperil the legality of sparklers and fountains in Gilroy. It is not fair to rely on the protective coloration provided by your law-abiding neighbors. Go to the beach in Watsonville to set off your out-of-state purchases - safely, of course. Keep legal fireworks legal in Gilroy.

Cynthia Walker Cynthia Anne Walker is a homeschooling mother of three and former engineer. She is a published independent author. Her column is published in The Dispatch every Friday.