It doesn’t have to the Fourth of July or any kind of a holiday. Los Angeles has no shortage of deadly incidents caused by illegal fireworks, including commercial-grade explosives that could take out an entire block or neighborhood.
Last May, a 26-year-old man in Jefferson Park was killed after illegal fireworks blew up an accessory dwelling unit (ADU) attached to a garage, according to authorities.
In a separate January incident in Bell Gardens, two brothers, 24 and 13 years old, were killed while the older brother was assembling illegal explosives.
Ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday, LA authorities expect to seize more illegal fireworks across the region.
Just in 2025, some 285 tons or 570,000 pounds of dangerous explosives were found and confiscated across the county, making up half of the fireworks seized in the entire state of California, according to the LA County Fire Department. Illegal fireworks were also blamed for starting some 87 fires and causing millions of dollars in damage last year.
With the elevated wildfire conditions, the LA County District Attorney’s Office said it will prosecute anyone who makes, sells, buys and lights the fireworks.
“It’s all a crime. And we’re going to prosecute everyone because it literally is about saving lives in the process,” District Attorney Nathan Hochman said during a news conference Wednesday, alongside fire officials.
While some cities like Anaheim and San Jose are deploying drones to monitor and track down fireworks and those who are using them, LA County has yet to have the devices.
“I am convinced that the technology is going to be coming to LA County. I don’t know when, but it will,” Hochman added.
Authorities are asking residents and neighbors to be actively involved in efforts to crack down on illegal fireworks, potentially preventing disastrous situations: tip hotlines are set up for people wo anonymously report illegal fireworks going on on their block, city or neighborhood.
Tipsters can call 1-800-222-TIPS (1-800-222-8477) and report fireworks anonymously. They could also be reported on lacrimestoppers.org.
“Go to these hotlines and report the person who just sold you the illegal fireworks,” Hochman pleaded. “We’ll go after that. We’ll add them to the list of people going to prison, which will, again, hopefully save lives in your own neighborhood, if not your own family.”
Assistant Chief Emada Tingirides of the Los Angeles Police Department said parents should keep tabs on their kids and talk to them about the risks.
“We’re sending a message that collectively, we want safety and we want accountability,” she said. “These tragedies are preventable and we refuse to accept them as inevitable.”
Tingirides also added celebratory gunfire to the list of things that could turn the holiday tragic.
“Someone’s celebration should never become someone else’s tragedy,” she said.
All fireworks, including sane and safe ones, are illegal to own, store, manufacture, sell, use or handle in the city of Los Angeles and unincorporated areas of LA County.
City News Service contributed to this report.