(KRON) -- The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District released statistics for July 4 and the weekend preceding it. The department reported a sharp increase of fires over the weekend, many of which were suspected of being caused by fireworks.
Con Fire said it responded to 38 fires from 9:00 p.m. on July 4 to 1:00 a.m. the following morning. That number marked a sharp increase from the norm. Con Fire averaged nine dispatches per day on Mondays in June.
Fire responses were high throughout the weekend. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, July 1, the fire district responded to 79 fires over the holiday weekend. Of those 79 fires, 20 were known to be caused by fireworks and another 48 were suspected to be caused by fireworks.
One fire in Pittsburg significantly damaged a home, displacing four residents. The fire occurred on Lynnbrook Drive and was caused by fireworks being set off near the backyard, Con Fire said. The fire ignited a tree in the backyard and burned to the home.
The fire was the only one of the 39 that burned the night of the Fourth that caused substantial damage to a structure. Over the whole weekend, Con Fire responded to nine fires in Pittsburg -- more than any other city.
On the evening of the Fourth, a grass fire grew to 6.5 acres alongside Port Chicago Highway in Bay Point after occupants of a vehicle were seen throwing lit fireworks into grass next to the road. The fire threatened homes but was eventually extinguished by approximately 70 firefighters.
Overall, fire incidents were down 17 percent from July 4th weekend in 2021. Favorable weather, including low temperatures and high humidity, played a role in limiting the number of fires, Con Fire said.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/jTV1pQt
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