Sheriff’s Deputies, Pasadena Police Warn: Zero Tolerance for Fireworks This Fourth of July

A charred hillside is a hard thing to forget. Seventeen months after the Eaton Fire destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed at least 19 people across Altadena and surrounding communities, the Altadena Sheriff’s Station is reminding residents of a law that predates the disaster but carries new weight in its shadow: all fireworks are illegal, and deputies will enforce a zero-tolerance policy through the Fourth of July weekend.

The warning, shared by the station on social media this week, echoes a broader push by the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department and the County of Los Angeles. Their message is blunt, according to a department safety advisory: there is zero tolerance for the use and sale of illegal fireworks anywhere in Los Angeles County, and violators face significant fines and criminal prosecution. The advisory identifies cherry bombs, bottlerockets, skyrockets, mortars, M-80s, M-100s and firecrackers as examples of illegal fireworks that are not to be used. It also warns that all fireworks can cause personal injury and destruction of property if not handled correctly — and that “safe and sane” fireworks may not be legal in every city, urging residents to check with their local jurisdiction before purchasing.

Under the Los Angeles County Fire Code, it is illegal to store, manufacture, sell, use or handle all forms of fireworks without a valid permit in the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County — which includes Altadena, an unincorporated community policed by the Sheriff’s Department. Violators face up to one year in county jail and fines reaching $50,000 for the most serious offenses, according to the LA County Fire Department. Under California Health and Safety Code Section 12700, even possession of unaltered dangerous fireworks is punishable as a misdemeanor or felony, depending on gross weight.

Pasadena has its own ban. The city prohibits the possession, sale, use or discharge of any fireworks, including those marketed as “safe and sane,” under its municipal code. Property owners and tenants can be held responsible for permitting fireworks on their property, according to a City of Pasadena press release issued in June. Most violations are misdemeanors carrying up to one year in county jail and fines up to $1,000, with more serious offenses involving larger quantities of fireworks reaching felony-level penalties of up to three years in state prison and fines of $50,000.

“We will be citing and arresting those who are violating rules,” Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris said at a June 25, 2026, press conference at Fire Station 38.

That press conference brought together the city’s fire and police departments, the city prosecutor’s office, and representatives from the Pasadena Public Health Department. Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin told reporters that calls related to illegal fireworks have declined compared to prior years — a trend he attributed to community outreach, a dedicated fireworks task force, and the lingering memory of the Eaton Fire.

“I think 17 months post-Eaton Fire, we’re still really aware and recovering from such a devastating event,” Augustin said, according to Pasadena Now.

Tim Wellman, Pasadena’s Chief Assistant City Prosecutor, detailed the legal consequences at the same briefing. Violations of the fireworks ordinance can carry up to six months in county jail, fines ranging from $250 to $1,000, and liability for the cost of disposing of confiscated fireworks, according to Pasadena Now. Violations involving dangerous fireworks may trigger state penalties of up to one year in county jail and fines up to $5,000.

“Skip the fireworks, choose safety, choose community, choose each other,” Wellman said, according to NBC Los Angeles. “And by doing so, we will keep Pasadena safe, strong and vibrant.”

The enforcement comes amid a broader crackdown across Los Angeles County. Sheriff Robert Luna said at a July 2, 2026, press conference that his department has targeted the illegal sales and transportation of fireworks through online investigations, social media monitoring, undercover operations and surveillance, according to a report by the Southern California News Group. Across the county, the Sheriff’s Department has averaged just over 4,500 pounds of illegal fireworks seized per year over the past five years, the report stated.

Pasadena authorities recently made one of the largest seizures in the region. On June 19, the Pasadena Fire Department’s Arson Investigation Team and the Pasadena Police Department’s Street Crime Unit executed a search warrant at 6316 Whittier Boulevard in Los Angeles and confiscated approximately 10,000 pounds of illegal explosive fireworks, according to a Pasadena Now report. Four people were arrested. Officials said the fireworks had an estimated resale value exceeding $120,000, and the investigation also uncovered what authorities described as homemade explosive devices. The LA County Sheriff’s Department Bomb Squad responded to handle the devices, according to the report.

Nationally, fireworks are responsible for an estimated 30,000 fires and nearly 10,000 injuries each year, according to Pasadena officials. In California, fireworks sparked 747 wildfires in 2025, causing nearly $16 million in property damage, injuring five firefighters and resulting in eight civilian deaths, according to CAL FIRE statistics.

Even items marketed as low-risk carry danger. Hand-held sparklers can reach 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, hot enough to cause serious burns or start fires, according to the City of Pasadena and the National Fire Protection Association, which has reported that a majority of fireworks-related injuries involve devices sold as “safe and sane.”

The Altadena Sheriff’s Station, located at 780 East Altadena Drive, serves Altadena, Chaney Trail, Kinneloa Mesa, La Vina, Northeast Pasadena, Pasadena Glen, and areas of the Angeles National Forest including the Mount Wilson area and Eaton Canyon. Residents who witness illegal fireworks can call the station at (626) 798-1131. To find the phone number for any other Sheriff’s station in the county, visit www.lasd.org/stations. To report illegal fireworks anonymously, residents can call LA Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), text TIPLA plus the tip to CRIMES (274637), or visit lacrimestoppers.org. For emergencies, call 911.

In Pasadena, residents can report illegal fireworks by calling the Pasadena Police Department at (626) 744-4241 or by using the Pasadena CSC mobile app, available on Google Play and the App Store.

For residents looking for legal ways to celebrate, the Rose Bowl Stadium will host the FoodieLand Food Festival from July 3 through July 5, featuring a synchronized drone show on July 4. General admission is $12, with children under 5 admitted free, according to the organizer’s Eventbrite page. The LA County Fire Department maintains a list of licensed professional fireworks shows and firework safety tips at fire.lacounty.gov or by calling the Fireworks Hotline at (888) 654-FIRE (3473). The LASD safety advisory encourages all county residents to celebrate safely and responsibly and to attend a professional firework show rather than using personal fireworks.

Augustin closed his June briefing with a direct appeal: “Let’s make sure that an evening of fun and carelessness does not lead to another significant wildfire.”

In Altadena, where blackened lots still mark the path the fire cut through neighborhoods, the words land differently than they might elsewhere.