Property owners in unincorporated Ventura County could face fines for illegal fireworks launched from their land under a policy the Board of Supervisors has directed staff to study.
The board, chaired by Jeff Gorell, adopted a recommendation from the 2025-26 Civil Grand Jury to examine whether a host-liability ordinance is warranted in unincorporated areas, the Moorpark Acorn reported. County officials said they will consult with law enforcement and fire protection professionals before deciding whether to move forward. That review is expected to be completed by Dec. 25.
The policy would apply to unincorporated pockets near Camarillo and Moorpark where the county, not a city, has jurisdiction. A host-liability ordinance would let the county hold property owners or tenants responsible when illegal fireworks are set off on their property, even if they did not light them.
Oxnard has enforced a similar ordinance since 2018. The city raised its maximum fireworks fine to $2,000 in 2026 and issued 102 citations during its Fourth of July enforcement push, according to the Moorpark Acorn. Oxnard police used drones to pinpoint properties where fireworks were being launched and mailed citations when officers could not make contact.
Four Ventura County cities already have host-liability ordinances: Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula and Ventura, according to the Simi Valley Acorn. Fillmore is the only county city that allows the sale and discharge of "safe and sane" fireworks on specified dates. Fireworks are otherwise prohibited throughout the county.
The grand jury issued its report June 23 after examining how cities and law enforcement agencies across the county handle fireworks complaints. It recommended that Camarillo, Moorpark, Simi Valley, Ojai and Thousand Oaks also develop host-liability ordinances. The Ventura County Fire Department responded to 107 fire calls in which fireworks were a contributing factor from 2023 through 2025, according to the report. A June 2024 fire in Simi Valley, started by fireworks, burned nearly five acres and required 11 fire trucks, two helicopters and a bulldozer.
The county agreed with all of the grand jury findings addressed in its response. Other recommendations involving coordination among fire and law enforcement agencies are already underway or have been implemented, according to the county's response.
Moorpark is working on its own city-level ordinance separately from the county effort. City officials said the Ventura County Sheriff's Office began researching a local ordinance in early 2026 and drafted a proposal in April. It is awaiting city attorney review and could return to the Moorpark City Council in fall 2026.
