Brea is joining a host of Orange County cities looking to curb illegal fireworks ahead of Fourth of July this year.

Brea City Council members voted unanimously on May 6 to approve an ordinance that would fine a landlord if fireworks are lit on their property as well as implement penalties against the parents of underage violators.

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It will also increase fines for people who fire off illegal fireworks and police officers will use drones to help enforce the changes.

“In the past, firework enforcement has been challenging for the police and fire department,” said Police Chief Adam Hawley, who presented the ordinance during the council meeting. “Having these innovative ordinances and combining them with the tech of our integrated crime center, specifically drones, allows us to obtain video evidence and better identify violators.”

As the Fourth of July season approaches, city officials say that the goal is to increase education and awareness about the use of illegal fireworks.

“My hope is to change the behavior,” said Councilmember Christine Marick. “Our goal that we get outreach, and less focus on fining people.”

Under the new system, fines for illegal fireworks begin at $500 for a first offense and $1,000 for the second, within a 12-month period. This marks a sharp increase from previous penalties ranging from $100-$500.

Hawley said the police department will be using drones on the Fourth of July to record and track violators, something he said is done in cities like Elk Grove, which have successfully used drones to monitor and fine fireworks violators. 

Last week’s meeting comes as other Orange County cities like Stanton and Anaheim are also adopting social host ordinances to combat unsafe firework use. 

Irvine, Laguna Beach and Newport Beach have banned all fireworks, while Anaheim, Stanton, and Buena Park still allow the purchase of safe fireworks in certain cases. 

Concerns about Brea’s fire risk played a central role in the council’s decision. The police chief said the crackdown was intended to protect the city from wildfires.

Much of the city lies within a high fire severity zone, and recent wildfires across Southern California influenced their decision, according to Hawley.

“We’re really concerned about life safety and fire safety,” said Hawley. “We’ve seen the recent Pacific Palisades fires and are prioritizing safety in the Brea foothills.”