DOUGLAS COUNTY, Colo. — From calls for grass fires and dumpster fires to trash fires and even a house fire – first responders were busy this 4th of July.
Douglas County Sheriff Deputy Gabriel Uribe said they had 231 calls for service just for firework complaints. The agency had 10 extra deputies working but Uribe said even then, "at one point it was impossible for them to be able to complete and to respond to each of the calls that were pending."
Since a lot of fireworks shows were canceled, Deputy Fire Marshal Anthony Valdez with South Metro Fire said, "everyone just started lighting off their personal fireworks shows."
South Metro Fire said in a 30-minute window, it responded to eight brush fires, six outdoor fires, five illegal burns, four dumpster fires, one garage fire and one house fire.
"I would say in my 14 years here in South Metro, last night was more of a moderate but wasn't an extreme," Valdez said. "We've had more extreme nights."
Improper disposal of fireworks was a big cause, Valdez said.
"Typically people put them in trashcans right up against the house or in the garage or those types of disposable receptacles," he said
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