'Very busy' July 4 for Alameda County fire crews; 400 pounds of illegal fireworks seized
ALAMEDA COUNTY – Illegal fireworks made for a "very busy night" for the Alameda County Fire Department on the Fourth of July, according to a department spokesperson.
Most of the activity occurred between 10 a.m. and 2 a.m., county fire spokesperson Cheryl Hurd said Wednesday.
The largest fire was called in around 11 p.m. near the 17000 block of Lake Chabot Road in unincorporated Alameda County. The fire spread to 6 acres and required the help of Cal Fire and the East Bay Regional Park District.
Flames from the Lake Chabot Road fire threatened a housing development near Arcadian Drive and Arcadian Court, Hurd said. Crews managed to protect the structures and no homes were burned, nor were any firefighters injured. Investigators suspect that fireworks were involved.
In Union City, a structure fire was reported at 10:23 p.m. in the 35000 block of Begonia Street. The owner of the property, who had previously been displaced by a fire there in March and now lives nearby, reported seeing embers from illegal fireworks in the air, Hurd said.
The fire started in the backyard of the home, which was covered with debris, and it took firefighters an hour and a half to bring it under control.
Hurd reported an over 11 percent increase in fire-related calls this Fourth of July over last year's calls for service. In all, there were 185 calls Tuesday evening, she said.
As firefighters responded to multiple blazes, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office and other agencies launched a firework suppression operation in unincorporated areas that lasted from 6 p.m. on Tuesday through 2 a.m. Wednesday.
According to the sheriff's office, more than 407 pounds of illegal fireworks were recovered.
"We took a zero-tolerance approach and used the operation to educate the public about fireworks and their dangers to the community," deputies said in a statement.
Of the fires that have been fully investigated, 17 were found to be fireworks-related. Hurd said the number will rise as more investigations are completed.
