Environmental advocates say Big Bear’s annual July 4 fireworks are landing at the worst possible moment for Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who are still too young for safe fledging. A new petition asks the city to move the launch site or consider
For Big Bear, the Fourth of July is supposed to feel like celebration—bright skies, family noise, a tradition that draws people downtown.
But in the nests of Jackie and Shadow, the holiday arrives with a different kind of tension.
This year. environmental advocates are pushing the city to reconsider the timing and location of Big Bear Lake’s annual fireworks display. arguing the event could disrupt the family of bald eagles at its most vulnerable moment. The couple’s nest is now home to two young eaglets, Sandy and Luna, who have not yet taken flight.
Last year. opponents launched a petition to halt the fireworks. collecting more than 40. 000 signatures from people who said the display could disturb the well-known eagle pair. Jackie and Shadow became internet sensations thanks to live webcams maintained in their nest by nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley.
This year, advocates say the stakes are higher.
A new petition asks the city to either move the fireworks launch site farther from bald eagle habitat or consider alternative celebrations such as drone light shows. So far it has collected more than 12,500 signatures. In the petition’s wording. the birds may still be “developing the coordination. strength. and flight skills necessary for safe fledging. ” and the sudden sound and brightness—“explosive noise. concussive blasts. and bright flashes”—could startle young birds. “creating unnecessary risk during a critical period of development.”.
Jackie and Shadow’s supporters say the eagles’ history makes the timing especially precarious. After the pair lost their first clutch of eggs to ravens in January. they produced a rare second clutch in April. Sandy and Luna, according to the petition material, will be about 12 weeks old during the fireworks.
Last year’s situation was different. Jackie and Shadow’s eaglets then—Sunny and Gizmo—were about a month older during the show and had grown enough feathers to fly away from the nest. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sent a letter last year saying that. because the young birds were capable of independent flight. there was not a risk the fireworks would cause nest failure. Jackie and Shadow did depart the nest during last year’s show, but returned safely afterward.
This year, Friends of Big Bear Valley argues the birds simply aren’t at that stage.
While the new petition was not started by the nonprofit. the group shares the concerns and sent a letter to officials last month outlining the harms it believes fireworks can cause. Jenny Voisard. a media representative for FOBBV. told The Times that the biggest danger for Jackie and Shadow is “the disturbing noise causing them to fly at night.” She said eagles “do not have good night vision. ” even though they have excellent eyesight during the day.
Voisard also said the nonprofit worries about the eaglets’ sensitive stage. “Whether they are still in the nest or newly fledged. they will depend on Jackie and Shadow to care for them. ” the nonprofit said in its letter to officials. “If. as in the past. Jackie and Shadow were to flee the habitat area for a few days. this could put the eaglets in danger at this important time of their lives.”.
Recent webcam recordings, FOBBV says, show Sandy and Luna practicing flapping their wings and venturing out onto the nest’s outer branches, and the nonprofit believes they will fledge on or around July 4.
So far, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has not weighed in on the potential effects of this year’s show.
Big Bear tourism officials, for their part, say they are not backing away from the fireworks.
Visit Big Bear, the region’s tourism marketing agency, doubled down on the decision to move forward with the celebration. In a statement. it said 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.” The agency added that the decision carries added weight this year after another low-to-no snow winter “which directly impacted many of our neighbors. employees. and small businesses.”.
Visit Big Bear also said organizers are working with the fireworks provider to reduce the loudest booms where possible. The agency noted that the barge carrying the fireworks was around two miles from Jackie and Shadow’s nest, and that the show was scheduled to finish in under 30 minutes.
“Our goal is to continue a responsible, professionally managed community tradition while keeping stewardship at the center of the conversation,” Visit Big Bear stated. “Big Bear loves these eagles too.”
Still, for advocates, the argument comes down to a single calendar problem: last year’s eaglets were old enough to leave the nest. This year’s are not.
With Sandy and Luna approaching the moment when they will need their parents the most. the dispute over fireworks quickly becomes something more personal than a local debate over noise and tradition. It is about whether a beloved holiday can make room for a family of birds learning how to live—right as the sky above them is preparing to explode with sound and light.
Big Bear July 4 fireworks bald eagles Jackie and Shadow Sandy and Luna Friends of Big Bear Valley U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service drone light shows environmental advocates tourism economy