Land of the Carefree : Law enforcement: Police report none of the violence that marred the holiday in past years.

As fireworks began illuminating the Monday night sky, public safety agencies across Orange County, from lifeguards to police, reported no serious disturbances or accidents related to the Fourth of July celebration.

“We don’t have any major incidents. We don’t even have anything minor,” said Lt. Larry Abbott of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, who helped supervise patrol operations for the holiday.

The calm that extended into the evening contrasted sharply with the violent incidents that marred the July 4th holidays in Newport Beach and Huntington Beach over the previous two years, including a 1993 melee in which 40 people were arrested in Huntington Beach.

Police, particularly in the beach cities, said they were busy handling routine matters like crowd and traffic control, quelling noisy parties and stopping drunken drivers. Estimates of beach attendance ranged between 400,000 and 500,000 across the county, with 325,000 in Huntington Beach alone.

“We are hanging in there,” said Huntington Beach Lt. Gary Brooks. “It’s one of the more quiet Fourth of Julys so far. We are anticipating some problems, perhaps later in the evening or early this morning.”

Lifeguards up and down the coast made scores of rescues in the higher than usual surf but reported no drownings or major disturbances. Some bathers received neck and back injuries in the five- to six-foot waves.

“Its been a real good weekend,” said Joe Milligan, a lifeguard at Huntington State Beach. “Ninety-nine percent of the people just want to have a good time and complied with the rules. But some overestimated their abilities and underestimated the surf.”

Police departments throughout coastal Orange County increased their presence on the street for the holiday weekend, adding reserve officers, undercover agents and detectives, who normally work weekdays.

Huntington Beach closed its city beaches two hours early, while Newport Beach strictly enforced its 10 p.m. beach curfew and a noise ordinance that carries a $150 fine for violators. Newport Beach also restricted traffic on some beachfront thoroughfares to control the crowds.

In 1992, Fourth of July festivities in Newport Beach were marred by three incidents of violence: a beating, stabbing and a shooting.

Last year, 40 people were arrested in Huntington Beach during a downtown melee during the holiday. A team of 50 officers in riot gear was called to break up a group of roving revelers, who set a huge bonfire in the street using sofas, trash, boxes and lawn furniture.