A debate is underway ahead of an Independence Day fireworks production set to light up the Big Bear sky, with some community members arguing the event supports economic growth, while others contend it may adversely affect the area’s fragile ecosystem.
For more than 60 years, the tourism organization Visit Big Bear has hosted a free Independence Day celebration for the public. The evening’s grand finale is a fireworks display over Big Bear Lake — the “4th of July Fireworks Spectacular” — operated by the Rialto-based pyrotechnic and entertainment company, Pyro Spectaculars.
Visit Big Bear says the event attracts more than 125,000 visitors. This year’s fireworks show is from 8:45 to 9:15 p.m.
The pyrotechnic display is two miles from the nesting ground of the bald eagles Jackie, Shadow, Sunny and Luna, made famous by the 24/7 livestream operated by the environmental group Friends of Big Bear Valley. The birds have become an international phenomenon, with roughly 2.4 million social media followers, including more than 1 million on its main Facebook page.
Concerns about the tourism organization’s fireworks show and the area’s notable eagle residents prompted a now-closed 2025 petition to delay or ban the show entirely last year. The petition garnered 40,000 signatures and argued that fireworks posed a significant threat to Jackie, Shadow, and their 2025 eaglets, Sunny and Gizmo.
Another Change.org petition, as of June 19, has nearly 11,000 signatures urging Big Bear leaders to relocate this year’s fireworks launch site or consider alternative celebrations like drone light shows.
Visit Big Bear issued a statement on June 5 addressing concerns about the renowned Big Bear eagles and informing the public that it would move forward with the fireworks show.
“The fireworks show is a long-standing community tradition and an important economic driver for Big Bear’s local businesses, workers, restaurants, lodging properties, recreation providers, and families. That context is especially important this year after another low-to-no snow winter, which directly impacted many of our neighbors, employees, and small businesses,” the June 5 statement said.
Visit Big Bear CEO Travis Scott said by phone Friday, June 19, that 70% of the community’s tourism income comes during the snow season, between December and March. This snow season, according to Scott, was dire.
“We literally had zero snowfall in Bear Lake until March,” he said.
The lack of snow impacts every business and resort in Big Bear, Scott said, adding, “We can’t take a chance of not having the holiday income that is generated from having the fireworks.”
“Big Bear’s tourism ecosystem is fragile too, and the Fourth of July holiday is part of the broader effort to help our community recover heading into the summer season,” the statement said.
The statement further notes that the tourist organization coordinates with local fire safety authorities and complies with the required safety protocols during the show.
Still, some community feedback runs counter to the voices collected in Visit Big Bear’s statement.
A Visit Big Bear Facebook post, which invites the public to review its June 5 statement, sparked a volley of opinions in the comment section, resembling an intense tennis match.
“You are definitely choosing tourist money over the best interest of the wildlife and the environment. What kind of stewards are you of that magical, beautiful place?” Mary Green wrote in a comment on the post.
“I don’t see any harm to Jackie and Shadow,” said Kim Derichsweiler in another Facebook comment, “They are just fine. We have had fireworks up here for years. This will not stop.”
Days later, on June 18, Visit Big Bear issued another statement featuring local voices supporting the fireworks display as a catalyst for economic growth.
Among the several voices in the statement was Big Bear Mountain Resort President and Chief Operating Officer Wade Reeser, who said the fireworks show is a source of economic stability that coexists with the local environment and wildlife. The resort is regarded as one of the most popular mountain getaways in the area. The resort’s ski season was cut short due to warmer winter temperatures.
“We support Visit Big Bear’s efforts to balance environmental stewardship with economic vitality by working with the appropriate regulatory agencies and wildlife experts, as well as implementing meaningful modifications to protect sensitive wildlife while preserving a tradition that supports local residents, businesses, and visitors,” Reeser said in the statement.
The statement also lists the risk management steps that Visit Big Bear is taking to ensure the fireworks show balances “ecological responsibility with community celebration.”
This year, Visit Big Bear has instructed Pyro Spectaculars to reduce the use of certain fireworks that produce the loudest booms. As of Friday morning, June 19, Pyro Spectaculars representatives had not responded to a request for comment on how it would reduce the sound of its fireworks.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service says that the shock of fireworks can cause wildlife to flee, which could result in birds abandoning nests, “leaving young vulnerable to predators,” and fireworks can potentially start a wildfire. It advises keeping celebration festivities a “respectable distance” from wildlife habitats.
Visit Big Bear states in the June 18 statement that it had coordinated with the USFWS to provide guidance regarding the fireworks show and how it may impact the bald eagles. The wildlife agency confirmed that while fireworks may cause some disturbance, they are not expected to result in nest failure (a bird’s nesting attempt that ends before any offspring can leave the nest). It also said that setting the fireworks barge away from the nest further reduces the risk, a procedure Vist Big Bear said it would implement. (It wasn’t immediately clear if the new location would satisfy advocates’ requests that the barge be removed from the eagles’ critical habitat).
Thousands are still opposed to the fireworks exhibition regardless.
Big Bear Lake Mayor Randall Putz declined to comment on his role as an elected official, since the city is not responsible for the show, but by email offered a personal perspective.
“We have had a 4th of July Fireworks show for decades, and the eagles have proven resilient. I hope for everyone’s sake this year is no exception. But considering the known impacts firework explosions can have on wildlife, pets, plus veterans and others living with post-traumatic stress disorder, my personal preference would be to embrace alternative forms of entertainment and celebration for the 4th of July,” Putz said.
Friends of Big Bear Valley media and website manager Jennifer Voisard said the group opposes fireworks, but “we are not going to formally go against it, and we have asked everybody to remain calm and simply hope that Jackie and Shadow and Sandy and Luna will be okay,” she said by phone on June 16.
Last year’s fireworks show did impact Jackie and Shadow’s routine roost. As reported on Friends’ Facebook post, by 8:30 p.m., the birds were settling in for the night, cozing up to each other, ready to sleep.
Thirty minutes later, a multicolored barrage of booms thundered across Big Bear Lake. The celebratory display was too much for Jackie and Shadow, as the continuous feed documented a full retreat from their treetop home. As the birds fled, Jackie made a peal call — a warning cry — to others in the area.
By 9:18 p.m., the birds were gone.
Jackie and Shadow returned to their nest nearly 24 hours later.
Among Friends of Big Bear Valley’s chief concerns last year was how eaglets Sunny and Gizmo would react to the evening extravaganza. The birds, however, had already fledged (when a bird is ready for flight) from the nest weeks earlier.
Things are different this year. The 2026 eaglets, Sandy and Luna, hatched nearly a month later than their siblings, which could prolong when the birds will fledge. As of Friday, June 19, Sandy and Luna were still nestbound.
“If they’re in the nest, hopefully nothing (happens),” Voisard said.