US cities ramp up drone surveillance for illegal July 4th fireworks; one fine hits $100K
American cities deployed drones to spot illegal fireworks during the 250th Independence Day celebrations, leading to a $100,000 fine in one case. This is part of a broader trend of first responders using drone surveillance for enforcement.
For America's 250th anniversary, many cities and towns used drones to detect and penalize illegal fireworks, resulting in a $100,000 fine in one instance. This reflects a national trend of police and fire departments increasingly relying on drone surveillance.
The Sacramento Fire Department in Northern California deployed its own drones for the first time on July 4. Captain Justin Sylvia said the drones can record high-resolution video to help investigators identify houses or nearby locations via Google Maps. The drone footage allowed them to count fireworks launched from a gathering in the Del Paso Heights neighborhood, and also showed a U-Haul trailer containing fireworks catching fire, which attendees extinguished.
The resulting $100,000 fine was based on the number of fireworks and possibly other factors. Sacramento County fines for illegal fireworks start at $1,000 per device and can reach $10,000 per device if used near sensitive areas like schools or parks. Felony criminal charges are possible if illegal fireworks cause a fire with property damage or injury.
Overall, the Sacramento Fire Department issued 70 citations on July 4, totaling $300,000 in fines, and planned additional citations on July 2 and 3. Sylvia noted that in 2025, the department issued a $1 million fine to a single individual.
In Central California, the Salinas Fire Department posted a promotional video on Instagram featuring drone footage of various illegal fireworks activities and warned it expected to issue nearly 100 citations. The department began training a dozen firefighters as certified drone pilots in 2022.
Several Southern California police departments also deployed drones for the first time in 2026. The Anaheim Police Department used drones to issue 40 citations and confiscate 2,500 pounds of illegal fireworks. The Santa Ana Police Department issued 107 citations—to property owners rather than individual perpetrators—and assisted in seizing nearly 1,300 pounds of illegal fireworks.
The Lewisville Police Department in Texas shared footage with CBS News of its drone responding to 19 fireworks incidents on July 4, with several cases where people stopped and cleared out upon seeing the drone. Washington state's Renton Police Department has used drones for the past three years for the same purpose.
This fits a broader "drone as first responder" trend growing across the US. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), over 1,800 police departments and sheriff's offices operate drones. EFF senior investigative researcher Beryl Lipton stated that such drones "should require clear policies around retention, audits, and use, including when the cameras shouldn't be recording."
Interestingly, some US communities used drones on the 250th anniversary for a different purpose: supplementing or replacing official fireworks displays with drone swarms that put on coordinated, colorful shows. These displays are cleaner and quieter than fireworks and significantly reduce fire risk in dry summer conditions.
