The city will deploy drones this Fourth of July to crack down on illegal fireworks and protect communities from fire hazards.

A handful of towns in the Triangle are kicking off Fourth of July festivities a day early, attributing vendor availability, financial reasons and proximity to larger festivities to making early celebrations a tradition for their communities.

A number of municipalities across Northern California have put their Fourth of July fireworks shows on hold after the explosion at a fireworks warehouse in Esparto. Cal Fire says seven people are unaccounted for after the massive explosion at Devastating Pyrotechnics on Tuesday.

(Reuters) -Seven people were missing after a fire and powerful explosion leveled a commercial fireworks facility in rural northern California, authorities said on Wednesday. Aerial footage from local news media showed the large warehouse-like building blown to pieces Tuesday evening in an enormous,