Today the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) seized over 100,000 pounds of illegal fireworks discovered in Commerce, CA, located in Los Angeles County.

CAL FIRE – OSFM responded to a claim of a current fireworks importer/exporter licensee with CAL FIRE – OSFM not following laws and regulations related to requirements of their license.

This seizure results from a CAL FIRE – OSFM investigation of a current fireworks importer/exporter licensee not following laws and regulations required by their license.

CAL FIRE – OSFM would like to commend ongoing efforts to help curb the use and sales of illegal fireworks, protecting the public from the hazards they present. Additionally, we would like to thank Los Angeles County Fire Department as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Task Force. The collaborative efforts of all agencies involved demonstrate their ongoing commitment to protecting our communities.

“As we approach the 4th of July and a typical increase in usage of illegal fireworks, this seizure should be a reminder of our zero tolerance to illegal fireworks in California,” said California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant.

Since January 2025, California has seen over 4 million dollars in property loss from fireworks-caused fires. CAL FIRE would like to remind everyone that it is illegal to sell, transport, or use in California fireworks that do not carry the “Safe and Sane” seal, and to possess or use fireworks in a community where they are not permitted. Violations of these limitations are subject to fines up to $50,000, and up to one year in jail.

If you have information related to this case, don’t hesitate to contact the CAL FIRE – OSFM Arson and Bomb Unit at arsonbomb@fire.ca.gov.

Discover essential tips for a responsible and fire-safe celebration along with ways to protect your community from CAL FIRE at FireworksSafetyCA.org.

To read the entire news release, visit https://conta.cc/4jjgH5g.

CAL FIRE Seizes Over 100,000 Pounds from Illegal Fireworks Operation in Los Angeles County
Commerce, CA – Today the CAL FIRE – Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM) seized over 100,000
pounds of illegal fireworks discovered in Commerce, CA, located in Los Angeles County.
CAL FIRE – OSFM responded to a claim of a current fireworks importer/exporter licensee with CAL
FIRE – OSFM not following laws and regulations related to requirements of their license.
This seizure results from a CAL FIRE – OSFM investigation of a current fireworks importer/exporter
licensee not following laws and regulations required by their license.
CAL FIRE – OSFM would like to commend ongoing efforts to help curb the use and sales of illegal
fireworks, protecting the public from the hazards they present. Additionally, we would like to thank Los
Angeles County Fire Department as well as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
(ATF) Task Force. The collaborative efforts of all agencies involved demonstrate their ongoing
commitment to protecting our communities.
“As we approach the 4th of July and a typical increase in usage of illegal fireworks, this seizure should
be a reminder of our zero tolerance to illegal fireworks in California,” said California State Fire Marshal
Daniel Berlant.
Since January 2025, California has seen over 4 million dollars in property loss from fireworks-caused
fires. CAL FIRE would like to remind everyone that it is illegal to sell, transport, or use in California
fireworks that do not carry the “Safe and Sane” seal, and to possess or use fireworks in a community
where they are not permitted. Violations of these limitations are subject to fines up to $50,000, and up to
one year in jail.
California has zero tolerance for the sale and use of illegal fireworks. Illegal fireworks include:
• Sky rockets
• Bottle rockets
• Roman candles
• Aerial shells
• Firecrackers
• Other fireworks that explode, go into the air, or move on the ground in an uncontrollable manner

Fireworks are illegal in parts of California due to the significant risk they pose, as they cause severe
injuries and millions of dollars in property damage each year. Large grass crops and dry vegetation
increase the threat of devastating fires throughout all of California.
If you have information related to this case, don’t hesitate to contact the CAL FIRE – OSFM Arson and
Bomb Unit at arsonbomb@fire.ca.gov.
Discover essential tips for a responsible and fire-safe celebration along with ways to protect your
community from CAL FIRE at FireworksSafetyCA.org.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by CAL FIRE – OSFM (@calfireosfm)

This week has been more of the same.  Nothing has really changed at Pasadena’s PWP DC Fast charging facilities.

Del Mar – 1 DCFC – on app, there are two DC Fast chargers, only one appears to work consistently. These are older Tritium chargers where only one connector can be used at a time.

Robinson Park – 5 DCFC – on app – update – only 2 working. Which is NO change from from what has been the case for many weeks. – the signage has still not been updated, the chargers are still showing that one can use both sides of the charger.

Victory Park – 3 DCFC – on app, two appear to be working at this time, which is one more than last week. But the third is on, and is not responding.

Glenarm(Arroyo Electric Vehicle) –  2 DCFC on app, appears that several are off and not showing on app. None of the chargers appear to be working.

Marengo Plaza – 20 DCFC on app, will have to go and see, someone reported that you can park for an hour with paying, but I don’t believe this is true, we will inquire and see what we find out If these chargers work, then be able to park for one hour without paying would certainly help.  Even 30 minutes would be helpful for those trying to charge.

Shoppers Lane  – spent some time here, these are all CCS chargers with dual port 150kW capability but nobody is seeing even close to this.  At least have of the ports are inoperable or chargers are turned off.  Connectors are broken, credit card machines are not working.

So of the six locations where Pasadena PWP has DC Fast charging, we don’t know where to rank any of them, but we know they are still in very bad shape,  Promises from PWP have not delivered the half of broken chargers working. Unless all the chargers are Marengo Plaza are working which I highly doubt. That would be the only way that half of the chargers would be working. What the city should do is pull out half of the chargers at Marengo and place the working ones at Victory Park and Robinson Park and Del Mar, to get the maximum working chargers to the community.  Having a large number of chargers on a rooftop parking is a disservice to the community.

And the cost needs to be addressed, at .15 nonpeak and .20 peak, these costs are below what anyone would pay. They need to be more competitive but they also need to work.  Free is great too but if they don’t work and they cannot be supported what good is it.

As usual Tesla chargers work, from what I have seen in the past week, there’s been maybe 2-3 out of the dozens of superchargers that are not working.

Gravity 500kW DC Fast Charging Stations Coming to Southern California including East Pasadena in 2025

Gravity is expanding in the Los Angeles area with several locations coming online in 2025.

The differentiator is the charging level of 500kW which is significantly higher than the majority of chargers available including Tesla which offers 250kW at the vast majority of their Superchargers.

Not much has changed since the last update.  Actually maybe worse.

We are going to focus on this update with what is happening at Victory Park and Robinson Park as those are indicative of what is happening at the dozens of other DC Fast chargers around the city of Pasadena owned and operated by Pasadena.

At Victory Park, only one of three DC Fast chargers was working, although all three are powered on, two of the three either return errors or do nothing, and when you attempt to use the app, they show as not available, some have reported that using a credit card sometimes works, but even the card readers are either damaged covered or show connection failure.

Over at Robinson Park the situation is similar. Two of Five DC Fast chargers work, the PowerFlex app shows that five chargers are available at this location, but only three have power. One of the three does not work. Two work, this has not changed in weeks or months, although some have reported that technicians have been to the location and have done some work.

What has been done appears to be some marking of the power conduit from the street.   Also, the parking spots have been painted with the Charge Up logo, but still there are no signs that these spots are reserved for EV Charging ONLY, and a time limit. And the city fails to acknowledge that there should be a time limit, perhaps 30 minutes and that overstay fees should be substantial to encourage people to let others charge. These are basics when it comes to operating EV Charging. Why Pasadena doesn’t follow is a mystery.

In addition the city has one of the lowest charges for EV Charging, many comment on this, to the point that for many it is less expensive to charge at the PWP EV chargers than at home… that should not be happening.

Also, by having rates so low, it discourages others from either installing chargers, and those with for instance a Tesla will go to the PWP chargers and tie up spaces where the can go and use the Tesla chargers and non-Tesla may not be able to.

These are some serious concerns in addition to the issues with most of the DC Fast chargers not working. It leaves PWP DC Fast charging in a failure state.  We hope the leadership at PWP and Pasadena City government will realize that what is happening is unacceptable and that things have to change.

We will report an update later this week.

If you are a resident of Pasadena or nearby or work in Pasadena, and have tried to use PWP DC Fast chargers and have been frustrated please let the city know.

Fed up with the dismal state of
EV charging in Pasadena.

Demand Change!

Most PWP DC Fast chargers

DO NOT WORK

and have NOT worked for A LONG TIME

(While Tesla chargers WORK!)

Millions of your tax $$$ have been spent!

                              SCAN:  

Call and Email :

David Reyes, PWP Manager

(626) 744-7598 davidreyes@cityofpasadena.net

Susana Castro, PWP Senior Executive Assistant

626-744-7029 scastro@cityofPasadena.net

Victor Gordo Mayor

(626) 744-4111  vgordo@cityofpasadena.net

Vannia de la Cuba, vdelacuba@cityofpasadena.net

Miguel Márquez, City Manager

(626) 744-4333 miguelmarquez@cityofpasadena.net

Call the City Service Center and report (626) 744-7311

Call and email your local councilmembers and email city council correspondence@cityofpasadena.net

As of May 1, 2025

We are going to focus on chargers with Chademo for this update.

First the good news:

It does appear that the DC Fast chargers are now showing on the PowerFlex app.  The questions remains do they work.

The bad news after visiting the Robinson Park location, the same chargers are broken with old signs, nothing has changed.  We assume the same is true for other locations, but we could charge on one DC Fast Charger at Robinson Park. So one out of 5, 20% is not good.  Maybe a second one worked but the charger was being used by another vehicle and the signs on the chargers are inaccurate that charging is possible on both ports, and it is not.

Del Mar – 1 DCFC – on app

Robinson Park – 5 DCFC – on app – update – only 2 working. Which is NO change from from what has been the case for many weeks.

Victory Park – 3 DCFC – on app

Glenarm(Arroyo Electric Vehicle) –  2 DCFC on app

Marengo Plaza – 20 DCFC on app

This would mean that if all these chargers are working the total available 50Kw chargers available in Pasadena is 31 that support Chademo and CCS.   The number would be higher for just CCS.

I am leaving off Shopper’s Lane as none of the chargers at this site support Chademo.

As many of you know the current state of DC Fast Charging in Pasadena with PWP chargers is not good, with the majority of the DC Fast Chargers NOT WORKING.

As of April 28, 2025

Del Mar – 2 DCFC – both appear with CCS only one works with Chademo, not usable simultaneously

Robinson Park – 5 DCFC – Two appear to work CCS and Chademo, A third is on but not working. Two others are off. Credit card readers are mostly broken.

Victory Park – 3 DCFC – None appear be working

Glenarm(Arroyo Electric Vehicle) –  6 DCFC none working, all DCFC OFF

Shoppers Lane –  11  – these are all CCS no Chademo available, Hard to know what’s working, reports are maybe a couple are working.

Marengo Plaza – 19 DCFC – a couple appear to be working, I have only seen one car charging on the end unit, all other units appear to be display errors or not on, several others are on, 16 are either off or blocked by barricade, cones

City of Pasadena PowerFlex app, is only showing DC Fast Chargers at Del Mar(1) and Victory Park (3)  so basically according to the app that City of Pasadena relies on and tells users to use, there are four DCFC,  Of those four maybe one is working.  If there are 46 DCFC and half are supposed to be fixed and working by the end of the month, the we should expect to see at least 23 working DC Fast Chargers.  That’s total, not taking into account those the city claims had been previously working. If we take all as not working.  If the city is now deciding to rip and replace chargers that would certainly be a new development and a request will be made when we see signs of that, as there are other operators with the same chargers that are having no problem with the chargers.  EVCS is one local company that is able to display the Tritium chargers and maintain the connection on those chargers. The mess with PowerFlex and Tritium has reached a new level and the cost to users attempting to use them and financial cost to the city will have to be revealed.

The city has stated there are 49 DC Fast Chargers but from what we can tell there are 46, where are the other three?  Are they in a private city lot?

The city of Pasadena Interim PWP manager has stated that half of the “broken” chargers would be repaired and operational by the end of April, which is two days.  We will report on May 1 to see what the status is.