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Drones, citations, arrests
In La Habra, the La Habra Police Department said it deployed its Drone Unit to support fireworks enforcement throughout the city on Thursday, after a resident lit an illegal aerial firework and then ran back toward their house while a drone recorded the incident.
“SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- San Francisco could soon impose a graduated system of fines and penalties for people caught illegally discharging fireworks under a proposal introduced by Supervisor Alan Wong”
The department said the drone footage helped lead officers to the homes of several violators, and that “numerous citations were issued and arrests were made for fireworks violations,” as police also broadcast public safety announcements in both English and Spanish over known hotspot areas.
In Riverside, the Riverside Police Department reported a preliminary count showing 59 people in the city were cited for illegal firework use during the Fourth of July weekend after being spotted by a police drone.
Councilmember Sean Mill said an additional 24 were cited through “boots on the ground” efforts, which also led to the seizure of 51 pounds of fireworks, bringing the total city citations to 83 people July 3-4.
Riverside Police Detective Steven Espinosa said the department was still awaiting a final count for the weekend, while the department said it cited 65 people last year with each citation carrying a $1,500 fee.
Sacramento’s $100,000 fine
In Sacramento, a homeowner in Del Paso Heights lit up roughly 20 illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July, while seven drones were already overhead recording everything, according to SFGate coverage cited by Gadget Review.
The bill that arrived in the mail was approximately $100,000, after Sacramento’s 2025 ordinance update shifted penalties from per-incident to per-device, with the first illegal firework costing $1,000 and every subsequent device adding another $5,000 to the tab.
Fire Captain Justin Sylvia told SFGate that the $100K citation reflected about 20 illegal devices at a single property, and he said, “Our drone footage is extremely clear,” adding there was “no trying to deny what we saw.”
On July 4 alone, Sacramento Fire issued roughly 70 citations totaling approximately $300,000, and Sylvia cited past cumulative fines of $1.2 million and $470,000 in previous years.
Ars Technica also tied the $100,000 fine to Sacramento Fire Department’s first-time use of its own drones on the Fourth of July, describing high-resolution recording and Google Maps geolocation as part of how investigators identify the house or closest location.
San Francisco’s proposed penalties
In San Francisco, Supervisor Alan Wong pushed a proposal that would establish escalating penalties for people caught illegally discharging fireworks, after fireworks were set off on multiple city streets during Independence Day celebrations on July 4 and police were unable to confirm any arrests.
“Somewhere in Del Paso Heights, a homeowner lit up roughly 20 illegal fireworks on the Fourth of July”
Wong said the first infraction could carry a penalty between $125 to $260, and a second infraction within five years could carry a penalty $250 to 750 and be counted as a misdemeanor, while Carl Nicita of the San Francisco Police Department said the existing ordinance “does not provide a local infraction or misdemeanor penalty.”
The proposal came after officials reported nearly 600 calls during a 24-hour period for the San Francisco Fire Department, including 146 different incidents between nine at 9 p.m. and midnight, and 17 different grass fires.
Supporters pointed to enforcement in Sacramento, where officials said fines range from $1,000 to $10,000 and where drone footage documented activity at one home that now faces $100,000 in fines, with Capt. Justin Sylvia saying the drones could “mark in a Google map of exactly what house it was coming from.”
Community advocates and residents raised concerns, including Jenny Perez of the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Council saying, “Headphones and earplugs are not a solution for people with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries, children on the spectrum or animals,” and a San Francisco resident saying, “I have serious concerns about this ordinance, as it really only attacks the issue from an enforcement perspective.”
