A coalition of concerned citizens and wildlife advocates gathered outside the office of Los Angeles County Supervisor Holly Mitchell and the Department of Beaches and Harbors this week, pleading with county officials to cancel the upcoming July 4th fireworks show scheduled near the Marina del Rey jetty.
The demonstration and an accompanying news conference highlighted the severe ecological threat that pyrotechnic displays pose to the sensitive coastal ecosystem. The fireworks are set to go off close to the Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve and a protected nesting habitat for the endangered California Least Tern.

Following the news conference, a formal legal demand letter was delivered to LA County Supervisors and the LA County Department of Beaches and Harbors. Drafted and delivered by attorney Christina Ku, the letter highlights what it calls predictable violations of the California Endangered Species Act (CESA) and the California Coastal Act, urging the county to issue an immediate cease-and-desist on fireworks in the coastal buffer zone.

"These fireworks are like dropping a bomb on ground zero for Southern California wildlife," said UnchainedTV President Jane Velez-Mitchell, a local resident who spoke at the press event.

Advocates point out that the booming concussions, blinding flashes, and toxic smoke from traditional fireworks terrorize wildlife. Disturbance during peak nesting season causes wild birds to flee their nests in a panic. The resulting disorientation leads to rapid egg cooling, permanent nest abandonment, and instances where flightless chicks fall prematurely to their deaths.

"The clock is ticking because wildlife is under threat and diminishing, so the change has to come soon," protesters urged, noting that local signs ironically aim to protect the area by banning unleashed dogs, yet the county continues to authorize massive explosions in the exact same territory. Environmental activist Simone Reyes and wildlife photographer and local resident Karen LA Cava also spoke passionately about the visible toll these events take on local pelicans, cormorants, egrets, and marine life like sea lions.

In a notable breakthrough for the coalition, Jessalyn Waldron, the Constituent Services Deputy for Supervisor Holly Mitchell, appeared in person to meet with the protesters and address their concerns directly.

"Supervisor Mitchell does hear you," Waldron told the crowd. "She sits on the board of AQMD [South Coast Air Quality Management District], so she studies air quality very closely, and she is exploring alternatives to fireworks, recognizing and acknowledging all the points that you have raised."

Waldron revealed that the county is actively attempting to pivot toward more modern, eco-friendly entertainment alternatives. "We have a drone pilot program we're doing for the holiday boat parade," she explained. "The challenges that come with that—flying over bodies of water or having space in Marina del Rey where they can land and take off—we're troubleshooting so that we can eventually find an alternative to fireworks."

While activists welcomed the dialogue, they emphasized that incremental steps are no longer enough for species on the brink. The coalition's demand letter requests a formal response before July 1st, 2026 pressing the county to lead the transition to drone light shows immediately rather than risking further devastation to LA’s remaining coastal wildlife.