FOURTH OF JULY: Fireworks blamed for multiple fires; traffic detours for fireworks-watchers; early-morning Morgan Junction crash

9:15 PM: That corner of 34th/Barton is just one of several where Seattle Fire crews have had to put out fires blamed on people throwing fireworks out of car windows or moon roofs and driving away. The photos are from Arlene, who was passing through when she saw this burning shrub:

She also saw what might have been the ignition source, lying in the street:

Shortly after, SFD had a similar call at nearby 35th/Cambridge, another of at least five West Seattle “brush” or “rubbish” fires in which fireworks are suspected, and it’s not even dark yet. We’ll update as the night goes on.

10:10 PM: SFD just had a short-lived “rubbish fire” call at 57th/Alki; earlier tonight, there was a report of a trash can on fire at or near the same spot.

10:20 PM: SFD is now dispatching to a small “brush fire” on Fauntleroy near Edmunds.

10:29 PM: With Alki usually jammed with people watching the partial view of the downtown fireworks, police radio indicates they’re detouring traffic as is usual, to try to lessen the jam once everyone tries to leave simultaneously. That includes a closure of the Harbor offramp from the West Seattle Bridge for a while.

10:36 PM: They’re having some trouble with that – the hill between Hamilton Viewpoint Park and Harbor Avenue is reportedly choked with vehicles pulled over to see the fireworks, so detouring Harbor Ave traffic that way is problematic.

They’re also diverting traffic away from northbound California north of Admiral (traffic-cam screenshot above.

10:50 PM: Dispatch for “grass fire” at 9th SW and SW Roxbury.

11:37 PM: Traffic patterns are going back to normal, officers have told dispatch. Meantime, some West Seattle SFD crews are going to a big fire on the other side of 509 in northwest South Park, in the 8100 block of Occidental. … A few minutes later, SFD had its third “full response” in the city (this one plus one in North Seattle and one on Beacon Hill) and they’re stretched thin.

12:15 AM: Police are converging on the 2600 block of Alki for a report of a big fight and someone bleeding. … They found a 35-year-old man with some facial cuts and bruising and are also trying to break up the rumble.

5:50 AM: One serious crash reported early this morning – thanks to the reader who sent the photo of a crash on Fauntleroy Way SW just southwest of Fauntleroy/California around 3 am. This initially drew a “rescue extrication” response. We have an inquiry out to SFD about injuries.

11:19 AM: SFD spokesperson David Cuerpo tells WSB that four people were treated after that crash but none needed/wanted to be taken to a hospital:

21-year-old male in stable condition
18-year-old male in stable condition
18-year-old male in stable condition
18-year-old male in stable condition

ADDED SUNDAY NIGHT: A reader says gunfire was mixed in with the fireworks mayhem on Alki, and the first few seconds of their video – far left of screen – shows it:

We’ll be following up Monday on various fronts.

100 Replies to "FOURTH OF JULY: Fireworks blamed for multiple fires; traffic detours for fireworks-watchers; early-morning Morgan Junction crash"

  • Canton July 4, 2026 (9:49 pm)

    Had some teens lighting off mortar tubes in the street. Took some pictures, they went elsewhere… Happy 4th of July!

  • Lorie July 4, 2026 (10:01 pm)

    We also had a similar incident nearby, at Holly and 32nd. Someone threw a firework out of a car and sped off. Firefighters were able to put out the brush fire quickly. 

    • Adam July 5, 2026 (7:37 am)

      I’m guessing it was a light grey electric or hybrid Kia sedan? I’ve been watching that car and their buddies in other cars for days just tossing mortars into people’s yards and driving in circles around Walt Hundley Park. I called the cops. One of the buddy cars is driving around the neighborhood for days sounding as if it’s dragging its broken exhaust. Just metal scraping the ground. They also drive through the park, on the grass, on the turf fields.

  • Kate July 4, 2026 (10:22 pm)

    Had to rush buckets of water over to Highland Park Elementary to put out a brush fire at, like, 5pm. Fireworks are way more of a pain in the ass than they’re worth.

  • M July 4, 2026 (10:26 pm)

    Commercial grade fireworks at 38th and Findlay in front of Fairmont Elementary going off for hours.  This year is worse than ever and the city does nothing – our dogs are terrified.

    • Rhonda July 5, 2026 (12:11 am)

      The city did something: they banned fireworks 🤣

    • Laura July 5, 2026 (10:05 am)

      I hate fireworks because it terrifies animals, pollutes the air, etc, but there are a million people in Seattle, some of whom require extra attention on occasion (teenagers with explosives, people fighting on Alki, folks crashing their vehicles – these are just 3 examples from 20 seconds of WSB scrolling just now, not to mention our daily issues ) and only 14,000 city of Seattle employees. Not enough. I WANT our laws enforced too. Very much so. And there’s much room for improvement there. We’re also living in unprecedented times and communities/local governments weren’t designed for the bombardment. Slowly watching the decline of our civilization makes me glad to be mortal. I hope your dogs feel better today. July 5th is the busiest day of the year at animal shelters because of frightened animals.

  • Alki res July 4, 2026 (10:29 pm)

    We just had a group blow something up on Alki and it started a ton of fires near residential buildings. Then they ran away, zero accountability. This is ridiculous. 

  • Mellow Kitty July 4, 2026 (10:41 pm)

    Just walked past Hiawatha and the highschool, bunch of teenagers putting bombs in the trash bins. SPD is on scene. 

    • RS July 4, 2026 (11:25 pm)

      Did they actually catch them??

      • Mellow Kitty July 4, 2026 (11:52 pm)

        Last I saw they were chasing the kids through the park. I don’t know if they caught anyone. They were headed east. 

  • Rhonda July 4, 2026 (11:24 pm)

    Arbor Heights is a 360° fireworks display. 

    • Alki resident July 5, 2026 (7:38 am)

      It always has been. I miss the bottle rocket wars at the school though. 

  • Amy July 4, 2026 (11:38 pm)

    Worst holiday ever.

    • Daddio July 4, 2026 (11:57 pm)

      Without the 4th of July no other holidays would exist.

      • Amy July 5, 2026 (5:57 am)

        Odd way to show your love for a country by blowing things up, but you do you. 

      • Stephanie Fraley July 5, 2026 (7:14 am)

        @daddio Yeah, that’s right… without a night full of blowing crap up and likely traumatizing the people who’re ACTUALLY the reason we live in a free country we wouldn’t have Christmas or Easter or Halloween or any of the other holidays that definitely didn’t start in America. Good point. 🙄

      • Jay July 5, 2026 (7:52 am)

        Most other countries have more freedom than us, and all other developed countries have more freedom and a better quality of life. People keep saying something along the lines of American is the only country allowed to have holidays because of our freedoms in their silly 4th of July speeches. I don’t understand that. There are like 3 countries in the whole world that don’t have freedom to have holidays and celebrations. I mean just think about it. Look at all the cool holidays in South and Central America, Europe, Africa, Asia, etc.

        • Daddio July 5, 2026 (12:48 pm)

          Jay, try celebrating Easter, Hanukkah, or Christmas in Saudi Arabia or Iran. And it’s funny how there are Communists in the USA but no free people in Cuba, Venezuela, and North Korea.

          • ? July 5, 2026 (1:51 pm)

            My cousin and his family live in Saudi Arabia for work. They don’t have any problem celebrating Christmas. It’s not an official day off since most people don’t celebrate it, but Christians can. It’s treated like how we treat Eid here.

          • Lol July 5, 2026 (10:53 pm)

            Daddio isn’t very well read or well traveled. Other countries celebrate multiple religious celebrations. Independent of whatever happened in the United States. 

          • Daddio July 6, 2026 (8:59 pm)

            Lol, I spent 7 months in Saudi Arabia at Riyadh Air Base. My wife and daughters weren’t allowed to leave the base without me or our son.

      • Spirit of Patrick Henry July 5, 2026 (9:47 am)

        We’d be celebrating the King’s birthday. 

        Oh, wait, we sort of did that back in June.
      • Been July 5, 2026 (10:00 am)

        TIL Christmas was invented in the USA

        • Mellow Kitty July 5, 2026 (10:09 am)

          Christmas was not “invented” in the USA. 

          • M July 6, 2026 (7:19 pm)

            That’s the joke

    • Bee July 5, 2026 (2:12 am)

      Yes!! This has been the worse 4th yet. And kids mouthing back 

  • Enough already July 4, 2026 (11:45 pm)

    North Admiral is a war zone. 😡

    • Agreed July 5, 2026 (12:02 am)

      Highland Park is too. Has been a constant barrage since 8pm, and this is after they were on and off all last night too.This can’t possibly be enjoyable for anyone at this point, right?! Like, even if you don’t have dogs that have been terrified for going on 48 hours?Already dreading the “leftover” crowd tomorrow, and then the soccer related fireworks that I’m sure are coming on Monday.

    • It needs to stop. July 5, 2026 (12:05 am)

      It is really bad. No one is coming to stop the nonsense. It is very frustrating/aggravating.

    • Rara July 5, 2026 (10:02 am)

      I heard them going most of the night in Admiral. Some could have been from Alki. There were some huge bangs. 

  • Walking Around July 5, 2026 (12:04 am)

    Stupid a-holes throwing big ones out of their car at people. Me and the kiddo had to run from something. Threw out the window of an Astrovan at us on 35th. 

  • Jimbo July 5, 2026 (12:08 am)

    White Center, is so loud my house shaking 🫨. I guess the banning of illegal fireworks isn’t working at all! I’m surprised that they aren’t more fires caused by all the illegal fireworks tonight in our community.  Just wait until Monday when all the idiots lights up more illegal fireworks and illegal fireworks continue for months around my neighborhood.

    • 1994 July 5, 2026 (12:22 am)

      Over in Arbor Heights my house also had a vibration from some awful super noise maker stuff.  The noisy stuff is not an expression of freedom but more an expression of someone’s delight in annoying others. The sellers of this garbage should be required to provide a spot for the buyers to enjoy their noise and spare the rest of us.

      • Thereisaspot July 5, 2026 (8:28 pm)

        Most of the consumer fireworks we all complain about come off of Indian reservations. Most of whom provide some sort of large lot adjacent to the stands where fireworks are sold meant as an area for the use of said fireworks. The export of these fireworks off of tribal land where they are legal needs to be controlled.

  • Sad Patriot July 5, 2026 (12:19 am)

    Yes, I am in Arbor Heights, as well. The roof shook a few times, and the windows have been rattling. These are not little sparklers but commercial grade fireworks, it seems. I’m trying to do the best I can by my dog. I am playing dog relaxation music (free on YouTube, with no ads) at full volume plus Trazadone, and it has helped. I saw some parents and kids out earlier with fireworks. They’re oblivious to the impact or they simply don’t care, as long as they get what they want. Perhaps the police or fire department feel hopeless to do anything, but maybe they could distribute some flyers or issue public service announcements about the dangers (and illegality) in advance — or issue a reward for any tips that pan out on the scofflaws who end up doing harm. Seattle has a beautiful officially sanctioned fireworks show, which you can see from Alki, so there are safer yet still fun outlets for folks who like pyrotechnics. A laser show might also be an option and better for the environment and critters. 

    • Laura July 5, 2026 (10:08 am)

      “Sad Patriot “ Nicely written. I feel so deflated by the state of things.

    • Drewy July 5, 2026 (11:11 am)

      It occurred until 4 am Sunday morning for the residents who live in White Center neighborhood who live around Holy  Family Catholic Church! 

  • Make it stop July 5, 2026 (12:29 am)

    There has been constant explosions and screaming coming from whale tail park here in Alki. I don’t know why there is the need to set off multiple M80s I’m so sick of this already. 

  • Dp July 5, 2026 (12:29 am)

    They just need to ban all fireworks. Even the ones on the reservations. Too many fires. Too many people getting hurt. It’s worse every year. And this year the Brooklyn Bridge caught fire during a fireworks show. 

    • Daddio July 5, 2026 (2:06 pm)

      You’re going to try to tell Native Americans what they can do on their own sovereign territory, Dp? 

      • Rob July 5, 2026 (3:18 pm)

        Funny you would say that. All year we see commercials on TV with the tribes talking about how there one with nature and how everyone should respect nature and how sacred the land is. An then on the 4th they sell some of the most destructive crap around for the environment. 

  • How Do I Get The Kids to Leave July 5, 2026 (12:35 am)

    The fireworks on or near Alki (Blue Moon) are not letting up. The kids keep screaming and running into the alleyways and lighting off huge fireworks. There are so many of them. Go home. 

  • Rosie July 5, 2026 (12:41 am)

    Fireworks just took out a car with fireworks and they are  firing into the homes on Alki ave sw. Can someone send the help, please????

  • Bill July 5, 2026 (12:43 am)

    Groups of kids throwing large ordinance at each other here for the last couple hours on 57th and Alki. Two fires put out in front of our house. Had two pieces deliberately thrown into our yard. We’ve called emergency services twice tonite. Most times we dont bother as we seldom get a response. Same story every night here. Sure, the park is closed early. The police assist the park service in doing so. Then they leave and the real party starts. Early last Friday morning street racers had a burnout competition at 58th-59th avenue. Had to close off windows to keep smoke and chunks of soot from floating in. Went back to bed and heard a loudspeaker. I thought that for once the cops had come. Wrong. It was a guy walking around our neighborhood with a bullhorn.
    Who are these idiots?

  • Alki Resident July 5, 2026 (12:48 am)

    Alki Beach. 12:15am. Group of teens started intentionally shooting mortars into groups of people.  Everyone on Alki ran back into the neighborhood by whale tail park, a lot of the people were talking about the group and how they were attacked. same group of teens came through shooting massive amount of Roman Candle style fireworks into the fleeing groups before turning them on the homes on the residential street after their intended victims got away. This is not a fireworks issue, these are small violet groups using fireworks as weapons and the cover of the holiday to commit violent crimes with near impunity for their own sadistic amusement. 

  • alki_2008 July 5, 2026 (1:18 am)

    The 57th and Alki fire was not rubbish. It was dried grass burning from fireworks that the same group of kids have been setting off all night around and between 57th and 56th of Alki Ave. It was short-lived because neighbors put the fire out themselves.

  • Ronald July 5, 2026 (1:41 am)

    It still sounds like a war zone…

  • Bee July 5, 2026 (2:16 am)

    57th was full of them. And they set off 3 spots of fires

    • Bill July 5, 2026 (10:47 am)

      And when I told a young teen to stop shooting shock and awe fireworks into my neighbor’s yard on 57th, she told me she was going to burn down my house. Some great parenting spotlighted last night.

  • K July 5, 2026 (3:34 am)

    So after hours of quiet, someone has started setting off Mortars on 15th in South Delridge.

  • Lisa in Arbor Heights July 5, 2026 (3:36 am)

    It’s 3:30 am in Arbor Heights and I still hear distant booms. I understand people want to have fun, but for those of us who have fun in other ways, this is awful for us. The trade off for this type of fun is too much for me, safety wise. Not to mention the babies, animals and military veterans who suffer. Thank you, fire departments, hospitals and police for dealing with the fallouts of the most obnoxious parts of this holiday. 

  • Junebug July 5, 2026 (3:49 am)

    It’s 3:47 am and some idiots are still lighting off explosions fireworks in my neighborhood, please stop being an idiot! Whoever lives up the hill from Tim’s Tavern in White Center area knock it off!

    • SweetB July 5, 2026 (8:37 am)

      By up the hill, do you mean west along 98th? If so, it’s a bunch of people at Holy Family. This year they closed the parking lot but people just gathered on the street and in the alley on each side of their parking lot. I live on the other side of the church and it lasts all night. Their soccer field with dry grass in right along that street too.

  • Chris July 5, 2026 (6:05 am)

    It was very bad in North Admiral.  We had fireworks and bombs until 3:45 this morning.   Big bombs all night.   Even at this writing, we hear some going off down on Beach Drive.   Feel for pets that may have run, wildlife, and more.   We will be watching for lost pets around here.    Hoping we don’t go through this nightmare again tonight.   There appeared to be no accountability whatsoever.   We kept hoping they’d be stopped.   At least there is peace…for now.

  • anonyme July 5, 2026 (7:02 am)

    An easy fix would be to require that fireworks cannot leave the point of purchase.  If they’re purchased on the reservation, they have to stay there to be detonated.  And/or require registration; they are bombs, after all.  It’s baffling that law enforcement does not seem to understand that these products are being used and combined to build bigger, more destructive explosives.  Or that their illegal use is becoming more about terrorizing than celebrating.

  • Ish July 5, 2026 (7:09 am)

    There would be no holidays or anyone here if it was not for the 4th of July. Its literally 1 day a year with some random noise before and after. Everyone here forgets what this is really about ans that they used ti be a kid too. Or matbe they didnt have a good childhood. Id we wouldnt cut our crime enforcement and people would raise kids with values and accountability then alot of this wouldnt be that bad. Either way happy 4th and take a breath. 

    • Mellow Kitty July 5, 2026 (10:21 am)

      We get it. What you don’t get is that this went beyond celebrating. Kids were throwing explosives as people. Kids were throwing explosives at homes. That’s not celebrating, that’s terrorising the neighborhood. My husband and I were 15 feet away from a garbage bin a kid put a bomb in (we didn’t see the kid drop the bomb). If we had changed our direction to walk through Hiawatha, we woul have been seriously injured. The lid went straight into the air and landed around 5 feet next to us. Shrapnel from the bin went everywhere. There was a second huge blast at the highschool. My ears are still ringing. 

    • Exasperated July 5, 2026 (12:21 pm)

      Well, there would be people here, let’s be clear about that. This land would be occupied. And Americans are not the only people in the world who celebrate holidays, so there would still be celebrations. To think that life here is only possible because of the 4th of July is ridiculous.

  • Keenan July 5, 2026 (7:15 am)

    The most pathetic thing about Seattle are the number of terminally online people who moan and complain about fireworks.  Every July 4th of July.  Complain, complain, complain.

    Most people love fireworks and they’re not going away.  You don’t need to drug your dogs and wrap their heads in towels and hide them in the bath tub.  They can handle loud noises for one night a year, they’re not going to combust.  Close your windows and GET OVER IT.

    However if you want to feel better, the 5th of July is the best time of the year to watch hilarious videos of people accidently blowing off their hands and fingers

    • Alki res July 5, 2026 (10:17 am)

      I love fireworks, but these weren’t fireworks. People were throwing mortars at people’s cars, windows, and lawns. Groups of people – people with young children – had mortars thrown at them while they were sitting on the beach. This isn’t normal. 

    • ActuallyMike July 5, 2026 (10:21 am)

      Keenan, you seem to have your head way far up somewhere the sun don’t shine–you don’t know whether “most people” love fireworks, and you don’t know what my dog can and can’t handle. The out-of-control July 04 nonsense in Seattle isn’t just a quality of life issue–it’s a real safety problem. Lots of people get injured and fires get started by this stuff here every year. Feel free to make one of those July 05 videos for the rest of us to enjoy, though.        

      • Keenan July 5, 2026 (11:21 am)

        Look at the droves of people at Gasworks yesterday  People love fireworks.  The evidence was all around us last night.  Most everyone I meet IRL loves the 4th of July and fireworks.  It’s only the online, antisocial complainers on Reddit and places like here that think they’re being personally assaulted by a tradition that’s been going on forever.  Get over it Karen!

        • WSR July 5, 2026 (2:28 pm)

          Maybe you can invite all these kids over to throw the mortars on your patio instead of ours since you’re cool with it? They aren’t shooting off fireworks. That’s fun and normal. They are taking gunpowder capsules, lighting them, and tossing them into people’s porches, into groups of people gathered, and onto cars. It’s damaging property and it’s caused many fires. Nobody on here is complaining about normal fireworks. 

    • Mellow Kitty July 5, 2026 (10:22 am)

      Were you one of the kids throwing bombs last night? 

    • Exasperated July 5, 2026 (11:58 am)

      Fireworks at a distance, sure. Fireworks in your neighbor’s yard because you just threw it there, absolutely not. Last night was no celebration, it was an excuse to throw bombs at people (your fellow Americans) and laugh at their terror. I have no idea how that can be considered patriotic.

    • Kelly July 5, 2026 (1:17 pm)

      The only issue is that certain individuals who buy fireworks don’t just set them off on the 4Th of July! In my White Center neighborhood people will continue to set off fireworks for many months! And closing the windows doesn’t help, whoever says just close your windows and stop the complaining, I’m complaining because I have to actually go to work early in the morning to pay my bills and because I have all my windows closed and the noise it shakes my house and windows and I can hear it through the wall of my house and it’s deafening to my ears! Period, people around here are so inconsiderate who light them off because they aren’t always fireworks but they sound like bombs 💣, and it also adults who set them off and not just teenagers. 

    • Ly July 5, 2026 (11:26 pm)

      Keenan,Can you post your address here? We can redirect the kids who are throwing fireworks at pedestrians and setting people’s gardens on fire to go off on your front lawn. 

    • Are you for real? July 6, 2026 (11:15 pm)

      Dude, either you are not reading what anyone is saying, or your reading comp needs a lot of work. People aren’t complaining about a “little bitta noise those crazy kids are making with all their shenanigans”. This was not your typical kids being kids stuff, this was straight up assault, arson, and destruction of property. They broke my neighbor’s window, set something off under another neighbors car that made something with fluid busy and start spraying it all over the street. They set my immediate neighbor’s yard on fire, blew up several full trash cans on Alki, were literally deliberately firing ball bat sized fireworks at people, at people’s homes, cars, and each other. The roof of my car was scorched and dented. These weren’t bottle rockets and cherry bombs. These were the kinds of things that could blow a person’s arm off, absolutely capable of being deadly. And there wasn’t anything  anyone could do about it. Don’t act like people are just whiners for being upset about it. That’s just idiotic.  

    • John Hancock July 6, 2026 (11:52 pm)

      “ Keenan says, as his fingers tap furiously away on his keyboard. He sat back in his gaming chair and chuckled to himself “These boomers are rage bait  gold” he examines the gold prospected from inside his nostril for a second, then sighs and flicks it in the general direction of the old take out containers stacked on the floor and grunts as he stands, rubbing eyes made gritty from hours of staring at the harsh light  of his computer screen. He shuffles over to the bottom of the stairs “MOM!!!!” He screeches, “I NEED A HOT POCKET!! HAM!” He waits, instantly impatient and feeling anger wash over him like the spray of a too hot shower. “MOM?!?!” He belches. Just then, as if to punctuate his eloquence, he hears an odd sound.. like a distant squeal getting increasingly louder.. “what the fu…”  he starts to mutter when a deafening BOOM shakes his house, the sound of broken glass muffled by the ringing in his ears. Is that smoke he smells? He runs ploddingly up the stairs to the front window that now has a baseball sized hole in it with thick, black smoke pouring in, the smell of gunpowder hanging in the air. Through the smoke he sees the flickering of orange flames just outside the window. BOOM! BOOMBOOM BOOM!!! He winces as another series of explosions shakes his house. He looks out onto his street.. at the smoke and fire and screaming apparitions running through the haze and slowly begins to smile. He straightens his back and raises his right hand in a salute while his left covers his heart. “OoOOO SAY can you SEEEE…..”

  • Betty July 5, 2026 (7:39 am)

    The parking lot by Salty’s – from about 11pm, to (no exaggeration) 5 this morning…an actual rave. Music blasting, lights going out of the cars and insanely huge and loud fireworks – right next to the eagles nest. Cops called multiple times – 2 literally drove by at one point as a firework went off…nothing. Nobody came, nobody did anything. I get we only have 3 cops apparently for all of West Seattle, but come on. This was utterly ridiculous and dangerous. 

    • Marshall July 5, 2026 (4:20 pm)

      Yeah, that kept us awake too. So incredibly tired of Seattle’s excuse that the cops are overwhelmed and out numbered. Time to call in the NATIONAL GUARD if local enforcement can’t handle the uncivil and criminal activities, especially on occasions that are well known to be problematic. I agree with the many comments here that last night/this year was off the charts in beyond-celebration straight-up criminal aggression. We need to make this stop NOW or next year it will be even worse. 

      • Daddio July 6, 2026 (12:30 am)

        Calling in the national guard to stop families from celebrating the 4th of July? This isn’t 1961 East Germany. Good grief!

  • Mike July 5, 2026 (8:06 am)

    Darn those Norwegian Chess Team celebrations….

  • Carmen July 5, 2026 (8:19 am)

    We had a-holes on 40th & Edmunds as well. Very frustrating! 

  • Westside 3 July 5, 2026 (8:37 am)

    It was bad this year at Hiawatha in terms of the amount and lateness of firework explosions.  Not sure if it was because of the 250th year. Plus, it was made worse by a neighbor who went off the rails and started shouting at people in the park at 1:30a.m while his dogs barked.  I don’t think the city can stop it as a whole, as it seems too pervasive.  

  • M July 5, 2026 (8:52 am)

     We’ve been in West Seattle for 30 years and last night was the pinnacle of lawless ness with 911, police and fire departments being overwhelmed. Hey Rob Saka – you ran on a platform of public safety and the WS blog community would like to hear from you.  Do you have a plan to provide more public safety resources so this won’t happen again on July 4th 2027 or is this the new status quo?

  • norsegirl July 5, 2026 (8:53 am)

    Alki is not a safe.

  • wetone July 5, 2026 (8:53 am)

    Went for a walk along beach and promenade about 5pm, it was nice to see so many SPD officers and park rangers. Probably the most we’ve seen in many years, problem was didn’t see any action from them at enforcing any laws such as drinking, parking issues and noise. Never seen so much open container (alcohol) drinking in my life at beach. Don’t know who is telling officers not to enforce the laws, the mayor or police chief but they need to get their stuff together as things are really getting out of hand in Seattle. Once people know they can get away with anything at Alki and Seattle overall word spreads and becomes the new normal. Really disappointed with the leadership in Seattle. Need to hold people accountable for their actions, not cuddle them……….could of been a lot worse for many with all the small fires that were ignited thru the night and early morning, thanks SFD and others that helped extinguish.

  • Jack July 5, 2026 (9:05 am)

    We need the speed and noise camera’s that were purposed a couple of years ago on Alki. When is the last time anyone on the WS Blog saw SPD pull someone over and write them a ticket. Plus last night I saw trucks and SUV’s with the under carriages brightly lit up with blue led lighting. By law, Blue & Red are reserved for and only to be used by, law enforcement and emergency (fire dept. etc.). There just isn’t any enforcement on Alki with the exception of the few cops down around the bathroom. The crazy loud speeder’s know they are not getting pulled over.

  • H July 5, 2026 (9:07 am)

    Our friend’s car got hit by a firework on Roxbury around 11 p.m., and we’ve got debris all over our cars and yard leading up to the doorstep. Where is the enforcement?

  • Nearby resident July 5, 2026 (10:00 am)

    The sports field behind Madison Middle School is littered with firework trash. Some damage to the turf, maybe.

  • daisyg July 5, 2026 (10:35 am)

    Alki was a war zone starting at 10:30pm until 3:00am. They
    were setting off bomb level fireworks one after another in Whale Tale and from
    the beach.  It got progressively worse and louder the later it got.

    I have never heard it this bad.

    Police and fire were down at least 3 audible times (sirens) and I’m sure
    more. 
    By 2am they seemed to have moved closer to the Alki Point.

    In conversations with friends who live in other parts of
    Seattle, they reported similar situations.

    These people are not doing this for freedom, or fun, or ANYTHING related to a
    4th of July Celebration, they are doing this to vadalize neighborhoods and
    terrorize the people who live in them.

    I don’t understand how fireworks can be illegal in Seattle, yet people get away
    with this and there are no consequences. 

    I realize that Seattle Police have their hands full on the 4th and I understand
    they can’t be everywhere at once. And arresting these people and prosectuing
    them costs the city money. 
    But the fact that they so blatantly do this, shows they know they can get away with it and is a signal of a bigger problem.There has to be a better way to deal with this.  

    • Alki res July 5, 2026 (11:07 am)

      If the kids feel like they have nowhere to go, and the parents aren’t there to stop them from causing destruction, perhaps we need some sort of event or some place where they WANT to go instead of our neighborhoods. Idk what that would be. But the solutions don’t seem to be banning fireworks, moving them from location to location, or sending out police. Tempted to get out a hose next time but I fear that would make it worse. 

      • Ly July 5, 2026 (11:04 pm)

        Do you know your neighbors on your street? What if you all met and made an agreement to hose down the kids who act the fool and throw fireworks at your gardens/house?

    • Lunch Lady July 5, 2026 (2:18 pm)

      Before fireworks were banned in Seattle and kids could buy them at stands in front of supermarket there weren’t the GIGANTIC ones we have now. They were much smaller and quieter and ended around 1am. Our house didn’t shook and parents supervised their kids in their own driveway. Now unsupervised 14 year-olds light them at sports field and empty parking lots 

    • Oh beautiful July 6, 2026 (11:30 pm)

      If this is something that can’t be successfully policed, then the only sensible course of action going forward is prevention. This puts countless people in danger and for what? The enjoyment of people who like when big thing go boom? The simulation of war that the 4th is symbolically meant to encapsulate causes unbelievable stress to veterans with ptsd from being in actual wars to protect the freedom these pyros go on and on about. It’s just stupid.

  • WSR July 5, 2026 (11:20 am)

    Saw this today – looks like they almost set an electrical pole on fire. 

  • Peter S. July 5, 2026 (1:05 pm)

    Reading this blog is exactly why we decided to spend the 4th of July on the east side of the mountains.  People there are generally more polite and considerate, despite being a bunch of “backward redneck conservatives”.   Big (sanctioned) fireworks display at the local city park.  Outside of that, mostly kids with the small stuff being watched by parents.  Thankfully, nothing that flew through the air as things are tinder dry.  Official show was over at 10PM.  Dead quiet after 10:30.   

    I appreciate fireworks as much as anyone, but this annual mayhem in Seattle has progressively gotten worse each year.   Especially, since Covid.  Lack of legal consequences for antisocial or destructive behavior is a major factor.  I suspect social media is also a contributor.  More importantly, where are the parents?  Why are your hellions running amok at 3AM?  Afraid to tell them that’s not OK?  Afraid to insist they be responsible and respectful towards others? 

    Not looking forward to tonight after getting back to West Seattle, as this now goes on for several days. 

    • K July 5, 2026 (1:38 pm)

      Funny, I was commiserating with a friend of mine in Yakima, who said she is over fireworks and hates the 4th ever since having to deal with all the amateur front yard displays when she lived in Moxee.  There are idiots on both sides of the mountains.

      • Peter S. July 5, 2026 (2:43 pm)

        >>  There are idiots on both sides of the mountains.  <<  Sure there are.  And, I’m not going to speculate on why Yakima might be a hotspot for front yard displays.  That used to be the problem in Seattle too decades ago, and why fireworks were ostensibly “outlawed” (again).  Really quieted things down for a couple of years until folks figured out there wouldn’t be any real enforcement.  Much like the multiple driving infractions we witness daily.

        What’s different in Seattle now is the level of destruction committed, and blatant disregard for safety and civic decency on full display. 

        • Ly July 5, 2026 (11:00 pm)

          Peter, I’m curious how this is enforced on the other side of the mountain. I read that our police have a hard time enforcing it because it’s hard to catch the perpetrators and enforce the law. What are they doing differently over that side that maybe our police here could be doing? This has been going on for years and every year increasingly worse and lawlessness. 

          • Peter S. July 6, 2026 (10:00 am)

            Little actual enforcement is needed where I was (Cle Elum) because the behavior we see in Seattle isn’t socially acceptable and hasn’t been tolerated to the point that it’s uncontrollable.  I realize SPD can’t ticket or arrest everyone setting off fireworks, but I’d really like to know why there seems to be no effort to do so.  Last year there was a SPD cruiser at 63rd Ave SW at 6PM, blocking traffic from continuing westbound on Alki Ave.  People were setting off fireworks 50 yards away in the picnic table area completely unconcerned about the nearby police presence.  Lady Liberty was shaking her head.

          • Ly July 6, 2026 (2:13 pm)

            I’m equally dismayed that it seems most parents are unaware their teens are engaging in such idiocy. As I write this some idiot just lit off another firework. To be clear, safe displays of fireworks are ok. But it’s gotten so bad over the years here that we choose to leave the area every July 4th. I wonder who we can contact or group together with and get some kind of plan for future July 4th. 

  • BJG July 5, 2026 (3:25 pm)

    I think the difference this year was the incessant nature of the noise from afternoon to the AM. It just never stopped. Just a constant surround of blasting noise from all over. We’re in Seaview and from the valley to the beach and from the Junction to the north, the south, the east, it was just vibrating. Hardly any of the aerial sparklers though. Poor, poor doggies and their people with no place to go!

  • Happy Birthday America July 5, 2026 (3:58 pm)

    That was the best West Seattle fireworks display, ever. No need to drive to Lake Union 🇺🇲

  • M July 5, 2026 (5:42 pm)

    Still waiting for a response from Rob Saka’s office – last night was a new low for West Seattle.

    • Rhonda July 5, 2026 (7:19 pm)

      Please explain why thousands of mostly teenage-to-24 year-olds celebrating the 4th of July with illegal fireworks had anything to do with Rob Saka. If the Seattle Fire Department and Police Department couldn’t contain it what makes you think he could do anything?

    • Ly July 5, 2026 (11:02 pm)

      Has he written back? I’m curious what he has to say or what the plans (if any) to put this shut down the lawlessness every July 4th. 

  • Statue of Liberty Alki July 6, 2026 (12:48 pm)

Sorry, comment time is over.