CoCo County Fire: In Just Seconds 'Safe And Sane' Fireworks Can Get Out-Of-Control

ANTIOCH (KPIX) -- On the precipice of the July 4th weekend, Contra Costa County firefighters sent out one last warning about the dangers of fireworks, and they set a set a hillside on fire to make their point.

"The point of the demonstration is that even with 'safe and sane,' in approximately a minute, the fire can get out-of-control," said Contra Costa County Fire Marshal Chris Bachman. "It's probably leaving your yard, getting into your neighbors yard, getting into open space, putting other structures and people in danger."

Just a single sparkler in grass this dry and this is what happens in a matter of seconds. It's exactly what Contra Costa County Fire knows is coming over the next several days. They have seen it before.

"Last year, on the fourth, in a three hour period, we responded to almost 100 fires," says Steve Hill of County Fire. "Pretty much unprecedented. That's about a month's worth of fires in three hours."

Just this past memorial day an apartment building in Antioch was destroyed by a fire, started by fireworks. People across the area have their own stories of close calls.

"One of their neighbors was lighting off fireworks and burned down the entire fence, a tree, and half their backyard," says Peter Vickrey of Antioch. "So, it's a concern."

"In these conditions, we talked about the drought a moment ago," Hill says. "With the wind, every single day is windy."

The department will be fully staffed this weekend with an additional 50 personnel and 8 trucks on hand. But they're warning everyone; extra staffing does not guarantee help will be there in time if disaster starts to unfold.

"Remember, it's a very busy evening for us," Bachman says. "We are stretched thin if residents set off fireworks anyways and they start a bunch of fires."

Fire officials in Contra Costa County have launched a new hot line for people to report the use of pyrotechnics. Any residents who see or hear illegal fireworks over the holiday weekend can call 1-833-855-2021 to report it to authorities.

Read more
f

We and our partners use cookies to understand how you use our site, improve your experience and serve you personalized content and advertising. Read about how we use cookies in our cookie policy and how you can control them by clicking Manage Settings. By continuing to use this site, you accept these cookies.