Thousands sign petition to stop Big Bear fireworks show for bald eagle family's safety

Thousands of people have signed a petition asking Big Bear city leaders and Fourth of July event organizers to reconsider this year's fireworks show for the sake of the beloved bald eagle family. 

So far, more than 13,000 people have added their names to the Change.org petition, which is called "Protect Big Bear's Bald Eagles & Eaglets from July 4th Fireworks Disturbance."

While Friends of Big Bear Valley, the wildlife organization that oversees wildlife throughout the area and is known for implementing a series of cameras offering a 24/7 look at the beloved bald eagles Jackie and Shadow, as well as their new children, isn't behind the petition, they say that the stakes are always high for the family come this time of year. 

"For Jackie and Shadow, every year they will leave their roost tree for the night, and sometimes it'll take a few days for them to feel safe enough to return," said Jenny Voisard, with FOBBV. 

She says that with Sandy and Luna, the newest eaglets, so close to fledging, or taking their first flight, there's added concern this year. 

"We don't know if they are going to be in the nest or near the nest, we don't know how they're gonna react to it," Voisard said. 

Related: Big Bear wildlife activist Sandy Steers, who spearheaded eagle nest cam, dies

This is the first time that Jackie and Shadow have had a clutch so late in the year, after their first clutch was lost in January when the nest was raided by ravens. Voisard said that the parents are still extremely vital to the eaglets' health and their primary source of food. 

"While bald eagles have amazing eyesight during the day, they don't see very well at night," Voisard said. "So, oftentimes they will be startled by the noise, and instinct takes over and they will flee, causing them to fly fast when they don't see so well and there's a road, so that's the biggest risk."

In response to the petition, Visit Big Bear, which puts on the show every year, shared a statement on their website. 

"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 statement said. 

 Organizers say that this year's tourism season is even more crucial following an uncharacteristically dry winter, meaning little snow for the local ski lifts. They said that they still recognized Jackie and Shadow's importance to the community, and that they are also part of the draw for their unique mountain community. 

They said that they'll limit the show to 30 minutes and try to reduce the loudest booms when possible. Additionally, they said that the barge where the fireworks are lit will be stationed two miles from their nest. 

Voisard said that the distance won't make much of a difference. 

"The lake makes the noise carry, so you know, they could be three miles away and I don't think it would be any quieter," she said. 

Last year a similar pettition to protect the eagles gained signatures from nearly 40,000 people. At the time, however, the bald eaglets had already fledged about a month before Independence Day.