Agencies across Southern California took preventative measures and put eyes in the sky this Fourth of July to combat what’s typically one of the busiest — and potentially most dangerous — nights of the year. Still, there were deadly fireworks, damaging fires, and hundreds of emergency calls across the region.

In Buena Park, an 8-year-old girl died after an illegal firework display malfunctioned and misfired, igniting additional illegal fireworks near the child.

In Pacoima, a man died and a woman was critically injured in a house fire linked to fireworks, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

And in Laguna Beach, a 13-year-old was arrested on suspicion of setting off fireworks that sparked the Rancho Fire, which burned four acres and forced evacuations.

Many police and fire stations logged a steep rise in calls for service on the holiday, though year-over-year comparisons were mostly unavailable, and some departments said they saw less.

San Bernardino County Fire saw a dramatic spike in calls, responding to 778 incidents on July 4 — more than twice the 359 calls handled on June 4. Fire-related calls alone jumped from 23 to 207.

“We didn’t have a single area that didn’t have a serious uptick in calls for service,” said department spokesperson Eric Sherwin. “It was a very busy day countywide for us.”

To prepare for the holiday, the department began interdiction efforts in May, anticipating the influx of illegal fireworks brought in from out of state. Fire personnel were stationed at agricultural inspection sites along the 15 and 40 freeways, where they issued 105 citations and seized more than 28,000 pounds of illegal fireworks, Sherwin said.

“If you can get one person to think twice and it stops a house from burning down or a child from being injured, it’s worth it,” he said.

Additional efforts on the holiday led to 10 more citations and the seizure of another 230 pounds of fireworks. Despite the surge in calls, the department said, there were no major incidents or fatalities reported there.

Fullerton fire officials also reported an elevated call volume, with more fire-related incidents than usual for a single day. Santa Ana police said they received hundreds of fireworks complaints – but said activity was slightly lower than in previous years.

The Riverside Police Department issued more than 60 citations for illegal fireworks use on Independence Day — more than twice as many as last year, according to Officer Ryan Railsback.

For the first time, drones supported real-time enforcement, allowing officers to spot and document illegal fireworks activity as it happened — even in cases where individuals dispersed before officers could arrive on foot. Railsback said the increase in citations was largely due to the department’s ability to spot and document illegal activity as it happened.

“We’re not focused on the families having an Independence Day party doing sparklers — little stuff — on their property,” Railsback said. “We’re talking about those commercial-grade, illegal fireworks — the ones you’re not allowed to have in California.”

Fines are being mailed this week to property owners, some of whom may not yet realize they were cited.

Hemet also deployed drones for the first time as part of its Fourth of July enforcement efforts. The department received over 160 fireworks-related calls, along with dozens more tips submitted through a dedicated reporting line.

Nineteen citations were issued, and numerous illegal fireworks were confiscated — many before they could be ignited.

Long Beach received 646 fireworks-related reports on Independence Day — a 4% decrease from 2024, city officials said. The drop followed the launch of the city’s Celebrate Safely campaign, which aimed to educate residents about the dangers of fireworks, how to report violations, and tips to ensure a safe holiday.