With summer comes fireworks, especially as the Fourth of July grows closer. But many Oswego residents are speaking up against those who set off fireworks at all hours of the day.

Several residents sent letters to Oswego's Village Board of Trustees, that were read during the June 23 trustee meeting.

"Every year people set off fireworks from their home," Nicole Davis wrote to the board. A 20-year resident of Oswego, Davis said that fireworks around the Fourth of July are expected.

"This year the fireworks have gotten out of control. Now they're going off practically every night"

"Almost every night we hear constant fireworks that typically start at sundown and there are many times they go off and on all night long," resident David Edelman wrote to the board.

In his neighborhood, Edelman said, fireworks can be heard "well past midnight," and recently as early as 3:30 a.m. What is most concerning, he told the board, is that the sounds made by large-scale fireworks ricochet off of houses throughout the night.

"The rockets that are fired appear to go much higher and the flashes and sounds they project are much more robust than I have ever seen people use in their yards in recent years from where I stand in my neighborhood," Edelman said. "I find it very troubling that some people think these incidents are funny and worst of all they do not care that these illegal fireworks are very disrespectful to our community and to their own neighbors."

According to information provided by the Kendall County Sheriff's Office, fireworks are illegal in Illinois under the state's Pyrotechnic Use Act. Violation of the act is a Class A misdemeanor.

In a statement posted to the department's Facebook page, the sheriff's office reminded residents that a main reason fireworks are illegal is the amount of fireworks-related injuries, as well as the potential to start fires.

"Fireworks are a safety concern for not just the individuals who are lighting the fuse, but for the people around them and houses in the neighborhood as well," the post read. "Many people also forget about individuals and pets/animals who might be affected by the sounds and/or lights associated with the fireworks. As a community, it is our job to think and care for each other. We must all come together and take care of one another and be considerate of everyone within our community."

The Oswego Police Department also addressed the noise concerns, reminding residents of the fines put into place in the village for violations of Oswego's fireworks ordinance.

A first offense violation between the hours of 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. is $250; a first offense violation between the hours of 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. is $500. A second violation at any time of the day costs $750.

Letters to the board also referenced the effect of continual fireworks on infants, pets, and military veterans who may have Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

"Many families in our community have pets that struggle with these loud noises along with military veterans who suffer from PTSD. We also have people with young children who have a variety of issues related to autism and other sensory related issues that cause them to be very frightened by these common occurrences and make it difficult to sleep," Edelman said.

"Please think of your neighbors," one resident wrote. "Some have anxious pets, others may be combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder that's triggered by sounds like fireworks. Others might have new babies that you've just awoken from a peaceful sleep. Be courteous with your noise in the evening hours."

Illegal items include: hand held fireworks, bottle rockets, firecrackers, torpedoes, skyrockets, Roman candles, chasers, buzz bombs helicopters, missiles, pin wheels and planes. Legal items include novelty items like: snakes, glow worms, smoke devices, sparklers and trick noisemakers like party poppers, booby traps and snappers.