There was a close call during last year’s fireworks show and Wrangell police don’t want a repeat this year — or any year.

Fireworks set off by an individual — not part of the supervised show — landed near the City Dock during the evening event last July 3, Police Chief Gene Meek said. He warned that people maybe don’t realize how dangerous it is to shoot off fireworks, particularly when around stacks of other explosives.

“This year we will be more proactive, especially in the downtown area,” Meek said June 26.

“We’re going to be driving around and looking for people setting off fireworks.”

It’s all about safety, he said. “We had an incident (last year) in which a young man nearly blew his thumb off,” holding a mortar shell in his hand.

In addition, “multiple fireworks were discharged” in the direction of the town’s official display on the dock last year. “It could cause a chain reaction which sets off the entire display with our workers present,” Meek said.

Joan Sargent, who is coordinating this year’s Fourth of July events for the community, had written the police chief last month, asking “that your officers strictly enforce the code this year.”

Sargent wrote to Meek: “Unfortunately, there were multiple incidents where the safety of the public was endangered and public and private property was abused last year. We are especially concerned about the failure to respect areas in the immediate downtown corridors, at the covered basketball court and Volunteer, City and Shoemaker parks.”

She is particularly concerned about the lawn area along Campbell Drive, “as the potential of prematurely setting off the borough fireworks display is real.”

It is illegal under Wrangell municipal code “to ignite, discharge, fire or cause to be ignited, discharged or fired any fireworks or firecracker” within borough limits.

It also is illegal to “sell, bargain or give to any person any firecrackers or fireworks of any kind or description” within the borough boundaries on the island.

The fine for a first offense is $200; with a minimum $300 and maximum $500 fine for repeat violators.