As July 4 beckons, firefighters go on high alert

After setting off fireworks in celebration of July 4 last year, a Gilbert family went to bed and awoke to a nightmare. They had soaked the pyrotechnics in water before disposing of them into a recycling bin. But overnight, the fireworks reignited destroying the house near Williams Field Road and Val Vista Drive and displacing the family of four. Although the fireworks had been doused for an hour, it was not long enough, according to Gilbert Fire officials. “Historically, the greatest risk to Gilbert residents and businesses from fireworks is...