Fireworks may be the perfect way to celebrate the holidays, but one California homeowner is finding out that illegal fireworks can do more harm than good.
That’s because local news station KCRA 3 says a Del Paso Heights home was hit with massive fines after its 4th of July fireworks went viral. The story is now making national news, with places like the New York Post reporting on it.
The hefty fine and viral nature of this story may not be all this homeowner has to worry about, either.
According to local ordinances, people who violate the county’s firework laws can face jail time as well. Here’s what we know.
Sacramento County Homeowner Hit With $100,000 Fine
@sacramento_life916@kcranews caught this illegal firework show and it lit up all of Sacramento♬ original sound – Sacramento Life
Sacramento Fire Department’s Captain Justin Sylvia spoke with the news station, explaining how officials had been cracking down on illegal fireworks over the holiday weekend, using crews on the ground and drones in the air. According to Sylvia, there were plenty of fines issued—70 citations were filed in an amount totaling $300,000—but the Del Paso Heights home took the prize with the top fine after officials say they watched the display shoot out of a rented U-Haul trailer.
Unfortunately for the homeowner, Sylvia says the U-Haul trailer caught fire at some point as well, which means they probably won’t be getting their deposit back.
Illegal Firework Fees Can Add Up Quickly
If you’re wondering how the California homeowner ended up with a six-digit fine, it’s because the citation is issued based on the number of fireworks that go off. According to KCRA 3, that amount can add up to as much as $10,000 per device, with additional penalties added if they are fired near certain structures, including infrastructure, parks, and schools.
“We just sat there with the drone, and we just counted,” Sylvia recalled of the Del Paso Heights display, which must’ve included at least 10 different devices.
There Were No Injuries Reported During the Illegal Display
While the homeowner is looking at hefty fines—and what will likely be an awkward conversation when they return that U-Haul—Sylvia says that there were no fireworks-related injuries or any structure fires reported during the display.
That’s impressive news, since the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that 13,000 people were injured by fireworks in 2025, highlighting just how dangerous these displays can be. Hopefully, the sticker shock of this year’s fines will encourage more people to follow local ordinances when it comes to fireworks, leaving those big displays to the pros.