CBS News California found that illegal fireworks sparked 226 fires across Los Angeles in 2025 and 722 over five years, amid nearly 3,500 related emergency calls. Residents in Pacoima said they repeatedly reported properties storing or selling fireworks before deadly explosions destroyed homes and killed one person. LAPD officials admit fireworks calls are often low priority due to call volume and staffing shortages; the department issued just 12 citations over five years while Riverside's drone program generated 65 citations in one year. City leaders and residents say stronger enforcement and technology are needed as major events approach.
LA Fireworks Crisis: 226 Fires in 2025 and Thousands of Calls — LAPD Issued Just 12 Citations Over Five Years
A CBS News California investigation of Los Angeles Fire Department data found that illegal fireworks ignited hundreds of fires across the city in 2025 while law enforcement frequently failed to act on repeated emergency calls about dangerous pyrotechnics.
Deadly Blasts and Longstanding Complaints
In July, a day before Independence Day, an explosive fireworks-related blaze in Pacoima destroyed six homes and killed one person. Neighbors said they had repeatedly reported the address to police for years, alleging the occupants sold fireworks from a garage.
“Everyone knows,” said Gabriel Soza, a nearby resident who witnessed the July inferno. “They always called the police every year, and they never come.”
Less than two miles away, four months earlier, another Pacoima residence was destroyed when a cache of illegal fireworks detonated. Police said one person was hospitalized in critical condition with burns to more than 50% of their body. Neighbors say they had reported that property to authorities as far back as three years before the explosion.
Data Shows Large Volume, Few Consequences
Documents obtained by CBS News California Investigates show the LAPD logged more than 90 separate 911 calls about fireworks at a home on Remington Avenue. CBS' analysis of fire data tied to fireworks found 226 fires across Los Angeles in 2025 alone and 722 fireworks-related fires over a five-year span, accompanied by nearly 3,500 emergency calls.
Despite that volume, LAPD records show only 12 citations or arrests related to fireworks during that five-year period, a gap that residents and city leaders describe as alarming given the damage and risk involved.
LAPD Response, Staffing and New Tools
LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell acknowledged the department has a longstanding problem with responding to fireworks calls. He said many calls "don't get dispatched" and are recorded "for information only" because of sheer call volume. McDonnell said the department is testing a drone program and is trying to hire more officers; the LAPD is roughly 1,400 officers short of its target staffing level.
“You get fireworks calls all the time. ... A lot of the calls don't get dispatched, they put out for information only because of the sheer volume of calls,” McDonnell said.
McDonnell also said the issue has escalated to the point that officers themselves are being targeted. Recently obtained body-camera footage shows fireworks launched at officers during a downtown immigration rally, and other video appears to show pyrotechnics used to booby-trap barricades. The chief said 26 officers were put out of action by such incidents, suffering injuries that ranged from ear to eye damage.
Drone Programs and Comparisons
Riverside police say their fireworks drone program, launched last year, helps identify illegal activity from the air and link incidents to specific properties so citations can be issued without putting officers at risk. In its first year, Riverside issued 65 citations through the program—roughly five times the number the LAPD wrote in the past five years.
McDonnell said the LAPD is now testing its own drone tools, but stressed that staffing shortages limit how quickly the department can make fireworks enforcement a higher priority.
City Funding and Future Events
Mayor Karen Bass proposed $4.4 million to the City Council to fund additional officers; the council approved only $1 million, well short of the request. McDonnell and other officials say increased staffing is important as Los Angeles prepares for major international events, including the FIFA World Cup and the Olympic Games, which could strain public-safety resources.
Residents Demand Change
Neighbors and community leaders say the data and the deadly incidents underscore a need for stronger, proactive enforcement and better use of technology to prevent explosions, injuries and property loss. The CBS News California investigation highlights the human toll behind the statistics and the urgency many Angelenos feel for a more effective response.
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