Alameda County, CA – CAL FIRE Law Enforcement Investigators, with the assistance of the Alameda County Fire Department and Alameda County Sheriff’s Office, have determined the cause of the July 8th, 2018 Grant Fire to have been the illegal use of safe and sane fireworks.
On Sunday, July 8, 2018, just after 5pm, the Alameda County Fire Department and CAL FIRE responded to eastbound Interstate 580 (I-580) west of the Grant Line Road exit, in unincorporated Alameda County, for a report of a vegetation fire.
The fire, known as the Grant Fire, burned over 480* acres of unincorporated State Responsibility Area (SRA) land in Alameda County. (*Initially it was reported the fire burned 640 acres, however due to enhanced mapping technology the acreage was decreased.) The fire shut down both directions of the highway for several hours and impacted thousands of motorists. Forward progress was stopped by nightfall with full containment the following morning.
A large and coordinated response from over a dozen agencies throughout the area responded to battle the blaze from the air and on the ground. Cooperating agencies included Alameda County Regional Emergency Communications Center, California Highway Patrol-Dublin and Tracy, Oakland Fire Department, Tracy Fire Department, Livermore-Pleasanton Fire Department, Camp Parks Reserve Forces Training Fire Department, Fremont Fire Department, Hayward Fire Department, East Bay Regional Parks Fire Department, a strike team of engines from San Joaquin County and the Alameda County Public Works Agency.
It is illegal to use fireworks, including safe and sane, in all unincorporated areas of Alameda County. For additional details regarding an arrest in this case, please contact Alameda County Sheriff’s Office Sergeant Ray Kelly at (510) 667-7721.
