Petition seeks to halt Big Bear fireworks over eaglets

Bald eagle fans from around the country are rallying behind one of Big Bear's most famous families ahead of a planned Fourth of July fireworks show in the Southern California mountain town.

A petition on Change.org urging Big Bear's leadership to reconsider its annual Independence Day celebration over concerns for Jackie and Shadow, two bald eagles that live in the San Bernardino Mountains, as well as their newly hatched eaglets, Sandy and Luna, has garnered nearly 15,000 signatures.

Here's what you should know about the bald eagle family and the fireworks display.

Fears over fledgling eaglets

While the annual fireworks display and its impact on local wildlife have garnered controversy in the past, this year, advocates are particularly concerned about Jackie and Shadow's two eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who were born in early April.

The two haven't yet fledged, or taken their first flight, meaning the powerful noise from a fireworks display could scare off their parents, threatening the eaglets' well-being.

Friends of Big Bear Valley, the nonprofit that manages two live webcam feeds of Jackie and Shadow's nesting area, said they contacted Big Bear Lake city officials earlier this month, according to reporting from Victorville Daily Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

"We presented the status of Sandy and Luna, the timeline of them possibly still being in the nest or recently fledged on July 4th based on our historical data on previous eaglets," FOBBV said.

Despite its communication with city leaders, the organization said the annual July Fourth fireworks will go on as planned, adding that it is "very disappointed in this decision." FOBBV is not affiliated with the petition on Change.org.

Officials say the event's economic impact is too important

Visit Big Bear, the tourism board that oversees the annual July Fourth celebration, addressed the controversy in a statement on its website, citing the event's economic impact on local businesses and a particularly slow tourism year.

"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," Visit Big Bear stated. "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 tourism board detailed several measures it's taking to mitigate the risk to Jackie, Shadow, and their eaglets. That includes limiting the show to under 30 minutes, "working with the fireworks provider to reduce the loudest booms where possible," and launching the pyrotechnics off a barge two miles from the eagle family's nesting area.

"The Big Bear community has coexisted with its wildlife, including bald eagles, for generations," Visit Big Bear wrote in its statement. "That responsibility is not new. It is part of daily life here, and it is a responsibility we take seriously."

2025 petition failed

This is not the first time people have launched a petition to try to get the fireworks show canceled. A petition last year called for the city to cancel or modify the Big Bear Lake July Fourth fireworks show.

That petition gained over 40,000 signatures, with signers citing concerns about Jackie, Shadow, and their eaglets at the time, Sunny and Gizmo, as well as other wildlife in the San Bernardino Mountains.

At the time, Visit Big Bear and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said the key reason for not canceling the 2025 fireworks show was that eaglets Sunny and Gizmo had already fledged and were capable of flight by the time the fireworks took place.

Big Bear's famed residents

Over the years, FOBBV has amassed a global fan base via its FOBBV Big Bear Eagle Nest Cam, which livestreams the daily goings-on at the eagle family's nest atop a nearly 140-foot Jeffrey pine tree near Big Bear Lake.

The latest excitement at the nest was the birth of Sandy and Luna, and their rapid growth after hatching nearly two months ago.

In a Facebook post on June 25, FOBBV wrote that the two "seem almost ready to explore the world," adding, "their flapping and confidence intensifies every day."

Drew Pittock covers national trending news for USA TODAY. He can be reached at DPittock@usatodayco.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Petition seeks to halt Big Bear fireworks over eaglets

Reporting by Drew Pittock and Rene Ray De La Cruz, USA TODAY NETWORK / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect

This story was originally published June 25, 2026 at 8:41 PM.