Colorado Springs is increasing police presence and fireworks enforcement this Fourth of July weekend as a potential red flag warning and a nearby wildfire have residents and officials on high alert.In a press conference on Tuesd ay, Mayor Yemi Mobolade said he has directed the Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) to step up enforcement across the city. Watch the press conference in its entirety below:"Dedicated officers will respond to fireworks complaints across the city," said Mayor Mobolade.CSPD Chief Adrian Vasquez said the holiday is one of the busiest periods of the year for the department and that additional staffing is being brought in to handle the increased call volume.There will be multiple officers just assigned to fireworks, and then we have officers that would normally be handling regular routine calls for service, they will also be handling fire firework calls when they're free," said Chief Vasquez. "It's truly one of the busiest times. So we're bringing in call takers on overtime to help alleviate the call answer time."Community members say they are more concerned than usual this year, with the Aspen Acres Fire burning in Pueblo County weighing heavily on their minds."That fire is huge. Last night when we saw the fire there was actually fire in the smoke. You could see how the smoke was glowing. So yeah, I'm real concerned about it this year," resident Michael Duplan said.Resident Angie Hansis said the responsibility ultimately falls on individuals."The responsibility of people, they have to take more responsibility for what they are doing," Hansis said.The increased enforcement is welcome news for some, though resident Tracy Fernandez acknowledged the scale of the challenge."It makes me feel better, but I mean it's a lot to cover. It's a lot of area and a lot of neighborhoods and a lot of crazy people, so it's gonna be hard," Fernandez said.As of Tuesday, the city has 7 planned professional fireworks displays, including one at Switchbacks Stadium. Some residents have contacted Fire Chief Randy Royal asking for those displays to be cancelled."Even professional fireworks can create sparks. The wind could blow them a little bit. They could light grass on fire, so I do worry about that a bit. I think it's maybe a little safer than people doing it at their homes, but I'm still worried about the big ones too," Duplan said.Colorado Springs Fire Department Fire Chief Randy Royal said safety protocols are in place at each professional display site."We have our staff on scene at each one of these places that have both manual handheld technology and computer technology to anticipate changes in wind and measure the wind on site," Royal said.Royal said if winds hit 50 miles per hour the night of the performance, that would prompt canceling a show.For Fernandez, that is enough reassurance especially given the significance of this year's celebration."I'm totally fine with it and with it being 250 year anniversary. Like you got to do something just hopefully it's done right and properly and safely," Fernandez said.Duplan said he understands the importance of the milestone but is not sure the risk is worth it."As sad as I'll be that that they might cancel them with our 250th anniversary, I think we can celebrate with our fireworks maybe next year," Duplan said.Shooting fireworks of any kind within Colorado Springs city limits is illegal. CSPD says officers plan to write citations and will be monitoring neighborhoods throughout the day Saturday for violations.Citations are only one form of enforcement. CSPD said fireworks are often seized without a citation being issued, either because the officer did not witness someone lighting it or the person reporting the illegal use did not want to file a complaint and go to court to testify against the offender. In 2024, there was only one citation issued on the Fourth of July. CSPD said reporting a claim and giving out a citation requires the community to step forward. ...read more read less