ENCINITAS -- The Encinitas City Council is set to decide Wednesday whether to ban the sale of lighters that look like toys.

Fire prevention and health safety advocates say so-called novelty lighters -- which feature colorful designs such as model cars or miniature slot machines -- are designed to attract children, who could be harmed by using them.

Since 1996, the Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled thousands of novelty lighters under the Child Safety Protection Act.

A handful of other cities in San Diego County -- including the city of Vista -- have already adopted similar bans on such lighters.

If the Encinitas council approves the measure, officials said the ordinance would take effect in 30 days, just in time for Memorial Day weekend.

Juvenile fire setting has been identified as the fastest growing fire threat in the United States, with more than 300 people killed -- 30 percent being children -- and almost $1 billion in property destroyed each year, some figures show.

The San Diego Burn Institute, San Diego County Fire Chiefs Association and many other safety organizations strongly oppose the sale and distribution of novelty lighters. The groups say there is no valid reason for such items.

Several stores in Encinitas display and sell the lighters, according to a city staff report.

City fire Marshal Bob Scott said that if the ordinance passes, violations would be classified as "infractions" under the city code.

Under the code, merchants can be fined $100 for the first infraction and $200 for the second infraction, within one year. Each additional violation within that same one-year period would be $500.

Contact staff writer Ruth Marvin Webster at (760) 901-4074 or rwebster@nctimes.com. Comment at nctimes.com.