The City of Hayward wants to thank Hayward community members for observing the City’s fireworks ban during this year’s Fourth of July festivities and contributing to a safer Independence Day holiday.
Calls for service to the Hayward Police and Fire Departments related to illegal fireworks activity over the Fourth dropped significantly for a second straight year in 2026 to a total of 218—down from 469 calls in 2025 and 901 calls in 2024.
The positive trend follows the adoption in 2022 of an updated City nuisance ordnance that makes property owners responsible and subject to fines for illegal fireworks activity taking place on or emanating from their properties.
Since the updated ordinance was put in place, Hayward Code Enforcement officers have worked with Hayward police and Maintenance Services personnel each Fourth of July to annually target hot spots and cite dozens of property owners for illegal fireworks activity.
This year, City staff collaborated with the Hayward Area Recreation and Parks (HARD) to expand fireworks ban enforcement and deterrence efforts to parks with historically high concentrations of illegal fireworks activity.
“This was the first Fourth of July in years that we didn’t feel the need to camp out in front of our house to protect our property,” wrote one grateful resident in an email to the Mayor and Councilmembers, commenting on the progress in their Christian Penke Park neighborhood.
To learn more about the Hayward fireworks ban and how to report illegal fireworks activity, visit the Report Illegal Fireworks page on the City of Hayward website.
