Grover Beach police report decline in illegal fireworks yet issue 10 citations

July 5, 2026

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

Grover Beach police officers issued 10 citations for illegal fireworks over the July 4 holiday, despite reporting a decline in their usage from prior years.

Prior to this year’s Independence Day celebrations, the city of Grover Beach announced it would be issuing $1,000 fines for one to 10 illegal fireworks; $3,000 fines for 10 to 20 illegal fireworks; and $5,000 fines for more than 20 illegal fireworks. Under a Grover Beach ordinance, property owners, tenants, renters or any person hosting a gathering can be held responsible for illegal fireworks on their property or on the street or sidewalk.

Police also said they would be using drones to locate illegal fireworks and associate them with a residence.

Officers responded to several illegal fireworks calls throughout the night, the Grover Beach Police Department said in a statement Sunday Morning. But, there were no major incidents in Grover Beach, and officers reported a decline in use of illegal fireworks. 

Likewise, Grover Beach residents reported on social media that they saw a decline in usage of illegal fireworks from previous years, the police department said.