July 4, also known as Independence Day, marks the day the Declaration of Independence was adopted and the 13 North American colonies officially separated from Great Britain. As the Fourth of July dawns,

Los Angeles Fire Department officials are investigating fireworks-related blazes where one man was found dead, a woman was injured and four homes were severely damaged in Pacoima. The initial fire — which was declared a major emergency by the LAFD — was reported just before 9 p.