Watch CBS News

Dry Conditions Increase Fire Danger For CoCo County On 4th Of July

CONTRA COSTA CO. (KCBS) — How dry is it in the Bay Area? A small fire on Kirker Pass Road in Pittsburg on Monday burned three structures and 350 acres. Add the threat of people getting careless with fireworks, which Contra Costa County Fire Captain Andy Bozzo said is already a problem, and there could be a major problem on our hands.

"Fireworks are going off left, right and center and they weren't the safe and sane fireworks. These were aerial projectiles with a lot of heat and a few fires started, so we're bracing for the worst," he said.

Contra Costa Co. Fire Capt. Reminds Of Fire Danger, Dry Conditions On 4th Of July

Bozzo fought that fire on Kirker Pass and is worried about the fire stations in his county that have been closed by budget cuts.

"One crew versus three crews can't sustain that workload. If we have a fire up on Kirker Pass or any of the hills or quite honestly in the Lafayette area and Oakland Hills type situation, we need staffing," Bozzo said.

In a nutshell they hope for the best when people get careless with fireworks on the Fourth of July.

(Copyright 2013 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.