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San Francisco Chronicle
05-07-2025
- San Francisco Chronicle
Oakland sees fivefold increase in fires over July Fourth, driven by illegal fireworks
Oakland saw a fivefold escalation of fires over the July Fourth holiday due to illegal fireworks, which kept firefighters racing across the city — but saw no human fatalities, a fire department spokesperson said Saturday. Two dogs died and one person was taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation when illegal fireworks sparked a dramatic house fire around 10:30 p.m. Friday, the Oakland Fire Department reported. More than 30 firefighters attacked that blaze, as flames leapt from a two-story residential duplex in the 1600 block of 78th Avenue. The first responders had the blaze under control by 11:14 p.m., the fire department posted on social media sites. That fire was one of 64 across the city on Independence Day — far more than the 12 to 15 that burn in Oakland over a typical 24-hour period, said fire department spokesperson Michael Hunt, adding that the increase was 'definitely' because of illegal fireworks. 'Anything over 20 is a very busy day. Over 30 would be exceptional,' Hunt said. Over 60 fires was 'extremely taxing.' Not all of the Oakland fires were connected to fireworks, including the largest blaze of the day: a four-alarm inferno that broke out around 5 p.m. at a warehouse on the 5200 block of East Eighth Street, about a mile north of the Oakland Coliseum. No injuries were reported. As soon as crews were released from that fire, they 'immediately began driving to a vegetation fire at the top of 98th Avenue that spread to about half an acre,' Hunt said. 'It just showed the relentlessness of the day.' On social media, the fire department thanked the often unrecognized groups that contributed to the unusual day, saying, 'Strong work by all our dispatchers, fire operations & emergency management personnel.' The growth in fire activity on the holiday capped what has been a tragic July Fourth season in the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe. Dozens of communities canceled their fireworks displays after a Yolo County fireworks warehouse blew up three days before the holiday. Some Bay Area communities canceled their sanctioned shows due to fire risk, while Lake Tahoe halted a show after a fireworks barge sank Thursday. It's unclear whether such cancellations lead more people to set off do-it-yourself fireworks celebrations, which are largely against the law in California. Fireworks without an 'Office of the State Fire Marshal Safe and Sane' seal on the package are illegal. Also, individual communities often ban the use or possession of fireworks altogether, with fines of up to $50,000 and a year in jail, according to the state's website. Still, many Californians visit Nevada to purchase fireworks and bring them back into the state in defiance of the prohibitions. California reports that even before the July Fourth season began, officials seized more than 600,000 pounds of illegal fireworks this year. In Oakland, all of the city's fire stations were fully staffed and operational, Hunt said, noting that the region took other steps to keep people safe. The city deployed roving fire engines patrolling the Oakland hills, which have a lot of dry vegetation, to immediately report any fire activity. And for the fourth year, Berkeley and the East Bay Regional Parks District closed off Grizzly Peak between Centennial Drive and Skyline Boulevard for 24 hours to reduce the possibility of illegal fireworks in that area.
Daily Mail
14-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Two women who were swept out to sea by freak wave and drowned are identified as shattered loved ones reveal their harrowing final moments
Two close friends who tragically lost their lives at a popular but dangerous beach have been identified. Flags in the town centre of Streaky Bay, on South Australia 's Eyre Peninsula, flew at half-mast on Wednesday in memory of Zenaida Hunt, 65, and her friend Beth Peters, 67. The pair were fishing at Back Beach when Ms Hunt was swept away by a large wave on Tuesday. Ms Peters jumped into the water in a desperate attempt to rescue her friend. It's understood Ms Peters' husband Carl raced down the beach to raise the alarm after watching the tragedy unfold from the shore. The women's bodies were found in the water several hours later. Ms Hunt usually went fishing at the local jetty, which currently off-limits due to repairs, according to her heartbroken husband Michael. 'There's my sweetie,' he told Nine News looking down at her photo. 'It's no good at all,' Mr Hunt said of her death. 'I'm all tense.' 'It was just a bit of bad luck. She went down there and got taken by a wave and that is just it.' Mr Hunt and his wife, affectionally known as Aida, had been married for 15 years after meeting through one of his friends while in the Philippines. 'She was working down at the clothes factory and she liked gardening,' he sai.d Her friend has been remembered as a hero who did not hesitate to try and save Ms Hunt. 'She didn't think twice, she went in there to save her friend and I wish she could have made it back,' Ms Peters' niece Karen Dodge told Seven News. 'It was such a heroic act to be brave enough to go in there with the strong currents. 'We adored her, her infectious smile (and) always had a positive outlook on life.' Back Beach is a popular fishing spot, promoted by the South Australian Tourism Commission as an 'excellent location' for beach fishing. While it's a popular destination, swimming is strongly discouraged due to the presence of powerful rips and heavy swells. The coastline is notorious for its unpredictable surf and has claimed lives in the past. The tragedy comes four months after surfer Lance Appleby, 28, was mauled to death by a shark in nearby Streaky Bay. 'It is another tragic blow for our community of Streaky Bay and my condolences go out to the family and friends at this very tough time,' Streaky Bay mayor Travis Barber said. 'My thoughts and thanks also go out to the volunteers and first responders that have had to deal with yet another tragic incident of which would be very close to home for many of them, as it does when you live in a small close knit community. 'We will rally around them and pull together again.'
