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Some California cities pay up to $1,000 for reporting illegal fireworks. See which ones
Key takeaways
- As the Fourth of July nears, the air will fill with the sights, sounds and smells of festive, but illegal explosives.
- In May, authorities evacuated parts of South Los Angeles after police found truckloads of fireworks.
- In April, a former Yolo County Sheriff’s Office lieutenant was one of five people indicted on a murder charge following a deadly July 2025 fireworks explosion that killed seven warehouse workers in Esparto.
Some cities across California are offering incentives for reporting illegal fireworks, like those seen in this July 4, 2023, display in Long Beach. (Luis Sinco/Los Angeles Times) By Summer Lin Staff Writer Follow June 25, 2026 12:32 PM PT 1 4 min Click here to listen to this article Share via Close extra sharing options Email Facebook X Linked In Threads Reddit Whats App Copy Link URL Copied! Print 0:00 0:00 1x This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here.
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California has an illegal fireworks problem. As the Fourth of July nears, the air will fill with the sights, sounds and smells of festive, but illegal explosives.
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