Orange County, CA Fire Regulations: Fireworks (2026)

6 permits a one-day public fireworks display between June 30 and July 7 in any zoning district, planned community or specific plan area, on the strength of a permit issued by the Fire Chief rather than a discretionary land-use permit. The section expressly overrides other land use regulations, so a display sponsor does not need a Use Permit or Site Development Permit from the Planning Division, only the Fire Chief's sign-off. That fire permit itself runs through the county's Fire Code, section 3-3-37, which adopts International Fire Code Chapter 56, Explosives and Fireworks, with local amendments.

2 requires that all fireworks displays, regardless of mortar, device or shell size, be electrically fired. 3 requires the applicant to submit a diagram of the display grounds to the Orange County Fire Authority showing the discharge point, the fallout area calculated at 100 feet of clearance per inch of shell size, the location of buildings, roads and other transportation routes, the line behind which spectators will be restrained, and any nearby trees, telephone or telegraph lines and other overhead obstructions. Enforcement of the Fire Code, including these fireworks provisions, rests with OCFA under section 3-3-2, which puts the California Fire Code, as locally amended, in the hands of the Fire Chief and lets the Chief detail fire authority members as inspectors. 6 and Chapter 56 as adopted at section 3-3-37, exposing the display to enforcement action under the Fire Code's violation-penalty provisions.