Contra Costa Co. fire gets 1,100 calls on July 4th; illegal fireworks prompt Antioch evacuations

The Contra Costa County Fire Protection District had a busy Fourth of July responding to fires, including one that prompted evacuations near Hillcrest Avenue in Antioch that began around 10 p.m.

Anthony Hamilton knows he and his family are lucky to be alive as he tours his backyard that used to be blocked off by a fence. He says they only had minutes to evacuate as a wildfire raced up the hill. It was likely started by the illegal fireworks being shot off in the shopping plaza below.

"This is our house on the hillside. It's going up the hill. We were about to get burned out of our home!" Hamilton described on a video he recorded at the bottom of the hill.

He's not coming home this weekend. Concerned about the health impacts of the lingering smoke on his finance and young son.

"Figuring out what to pack, how long am I going to be out of my house. I could stay here, but you just don't want to smell that for a toddler. So dealing, it's just been a lot of stressing right now. A lot on your mind," explains Hamilton.

MORE: Heat and fireworks likely combined to start July 4 fires around Bay Area

The two-acre fire that burned close to Hamilton's house was the biggest but it wasn't the only one.

"We saw that we had over 1,100 calls that came into dispatch," says Captain Victor Daniel with the Contra Costa County Fire Protection District, or Con Fire.

Captain Daniel says they responded to 310 incidents over a period of 17 hours between 10 a.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Friday. That includes 16 vegetation fires, 90 exterior fires and they are still trying to determine the number of structure fires.

Captain Daniel says it's tough to crack down on all illegal fireworks. But unlike other fire departments, Con Fire has a full investigation unit. They not only investigate the origin of fire, but can also make arrests.

"And if there (are) criminal penalties that are necessary, then they will take the appropriate action to do that. And they work very well with all the law enforcement agencies within our county," explains Captain Daniel.

MORE: Fireworks injure 2 teenagers in Berkeley on 4th of July, police say

"This could have taken peoples homes and their livelihoods. And it's just not right. And don't forget, this is arson. And so, this will be investigated as an arson," explains Antioch Mayor Lamar Hernandez-Thorpe, who walked through the burn site.

He is calling for a full ban on fireworks throughout the state, saying it's best to leave the big shows to cities.

He is adamant that this will be fully investigated. But he adds, residents have to do their part.

"It is unrealistic to say that any - any city - in America is going to have a police officer on every corner. But everybody was watching. People have video on their doorbells. Security cameras. Please provide that to law enforcement so that we can hold those responsible, accountable," says the Mayor Hernandez-Thorpe.

The mayor says the penalty for arson includes a $10,000 fine and possible prison sentence.