Long Beach received 646 fireworks-related reports on Independence Day, a 4% decrease from 2024, the city announced Friday.
Ahead of the Fourth of July holiday, the city introduced a “Celebrate Safely” campaign to share information on fireworks hazards, reporting methods, enforcement, and safety guidelines. The city also urged people to attend professional shows that were held on July 3 over Alamitos Bay Marina and on July 4 at the downtown waterfront.
According to the city, so far this year there have been:
— a total of 549 reports related to fireworks submitted via Go Long Beach, including 209 specifically on July 4;
— 1,503 fireworks-related calls to the city’s Communications Center, with 422 of those calls made exclusively on July 4; and
— 44 fireworks incidents reported to the Long Beach Police Department’s patrol divisions, including 15 on July 4.
Data on public safety responses and community outreach by the city, both before and during the Fourth of July holiday, can be found at longbeach.gov/fireworks.
City officials said Long Beach is committed to reducing fireworks activity, noting that an enhanced fireworks ordinance was enacted in 2021, increasing penalties and liabilities for the use of illegal fireworks.
“The city continues to engage and educate the community through its Celebrate Safely campaign that encourages the community to report fireworks activity and promotes alternative ways to celebrate Independence Day, sans fireworks,” according to a statement from the city.
“Since establishing the Interdepartmental Fireworks Working Group and associated Fireworks Action Plan in 2020, a comprehensive citywide approach to address the increase of fireworks activity in Long Beach, fireworks-related calls have fallen from an annual peak of 8,882 calls in 2020 to 2,196 in 2024, a 75% decrease and the first year to drop below levels established in 2019.”
Long Beach officials said authorities will continue to address fireworks activity, supported by $100,000 allocated in the city’s Fiscal Year 2025 budget for enforcement, outreach, and education efforts.
More information about the Celebrate Safely campaign is available at longbeach.gov/fireworks.