As Angelenos prepare to celebrate the Fourth of July, our skies will once again erupt in the glittering chaos of illegal fireworks. But behind the flashes and booms lies an ongoing crisis: fires, traumatic injuries, highly toxic air pollution and emotional distress — especially for our veterans, young children, pets and emergency responders. The truth is simple and well known: All fireworks are illegal in the city of Los Angeles. And yet, year after year, the city is lit up in displays that rival organized shows, often using professional-grade pyrotechnics in densely populated neighborhoods.
At MySafe:LA, our mission is to protect lives through education, prevention and preparedness. For more than a decade, we’ve been working to shift public behavior around fireworks — especially in the communities most affected by them. We’ve distributed public safety messages in multiple languages, blanketed every fire station and Los Angeles Police Department division with educational materials, supported interagency outreach and incorporated fireworks awareness into wildfire safety presentations across the region.
But despite strong messaging and years of enforcement, the problem has worsened. Although the state fire marshal and other law enforcement have seized more than 600,000 pounds of illegal explosives this year alone, the use of consumer fireworks remains rampant. Enforcement actions tend to focus on large-scale distributors, while the widespread use in neighborhoods goes largely unchallenged. Residents across the city don’t need to check social media or news feeds to know what’s happening: The illegal fireworks shows begin weeks before Independence Day and crescendo long into the night of the Fourth.
The danger extends beyond the noise. On Jan. 1 of this year, fireworks may have sparked a brush fire in the Palisades Highlands. One week later, a disaster struck the same area as the Palisades fire raged out of control. While no definitive link has been made, the possibility is deeply troubling. What happens if the next spark lands in the Hollywood Hills? Or Sepulveda Pass, Topanga Canyon, Mt. Washington or Glassell Park? These aren’t far-fetched risks. They’re places where Angelenos live, surrounded by dry, flammable vegetation.
It’s time for a new strategy — one that combines public outreach with smart, technology-driven enforcement. Riverside provides a strong example. There, all fireworks are banned, and the city uses surveillance drones to capture violations in real time. Offenders are mailed citations starting at $1,500 — no on-scene confrontation needed. This system reduces strain on public safety personnel while increasing deterrence and accountability.
Los Angeles should consider a similar approach. We urge the City Council to invest in targeted surveillance tools, such as drones, during peak periods; to implement a citation system based on video evidence; and to raise fines for confirmed violations to $2,500 or more to deter repeat offenders.
With the FIFA World Cup arriving in 2026, followed soon after by the Olympic Games, Los Angeles must prepare not only for the spotlight of a global audience but also for the increased fire risk that comes with hosting large-scale summer events. Fireworks mitigation must be an integral part of the city’s readiness plan, not an afterthought.
When it comes to fire safety, deterrence works best when it’s proactive, visible and smart.
David Barrett is the executive officer of MySafe:LA, the nonprofit training and resilience partner to the Los Angeles City Fire Department since 2008.
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