It’s no secret that 2013 was a difficult year for fire services in East Contra Costa County where we saw a reduction in fire houses and staffing levels while a demand for service actually increased. On several occasions over the past year East County witness response time’s increase where minor incidents became major incidents due to staffing.
Overall, 2013 was considered a busy fire year. 2014 may become worse as CONFIRE has limited aid to neighboring District to just two-engines. This is significant because on multiple fires, ECCFPD had all five engines on scene where CONFIRE provided an additional 4-5 units and man power.
With campaign rhetoric set to begin in January as East Contra Costa Fire Protection District begins a series of outreach meetings (9-total) and a FEMA Grant set to expire in November which will likely close two-stations we wanted to look back at some of major fires we experienced in East County.
The following list is for fires only and does not include traffic accidents, police activity or medical calls. What this list provides is a recap of 2013 and highlights fires can occur at anytime and anywhere.
13. Merrill Dr., Antioch (Nov. 14)
Had this home not been vacant, it would have been higher on our list. This two-alarm fire destroyed a home so badly that they had to bulldoze it to ensure safety once crews left. This fire was reportedly started due to squatters in the home. Photos
12. Tulare Street, Brentwood (July 14)
This fire began in a shed and made its way long a fence before going up the side of a home on Tulare Street in Brentwood. This fire caused an estimated $200k in damage. Photos
11. Concord Avenue and Vineyard Parkway, Brentwood. (July 2)
This vegetation fire burned 242 acres in Brentwood and put multiple homes in the Deer Ridge area in danger. The fire required a total of 75-firefighters. It should be noted that this incident required all ECCFPD resources as well as used multiple CONFIRE engines. At the same time as this fire was getting out of control, CONFIRE was battling a 500-acre Kirker Pass fire. Also adding to the limited resources, prior to reports of the Brentwood fire getting out of control, three ECCFPD units were battling two spot-fires along E. Cypress Road. Photos
10. Birmingham St. Oakley (July 1)
One of the few fires we actually did not make it on scene for as the fire began at 4:27 am which destroyed a home and multiple cars. From what we were told by firefighters, flames from the garage were nearly out into the street as the first engine arrived on scene. The incident caused $300k in damage. Photos
9. Filbert Street, Antioch (Aug. 7)
This fire occurred at 10:40 pm where fire crews arrived to a fully engulfed garage. This fire took about 30-minutes to control before it destroyed most of a home, multiple vehicles and injured a person. Estimated damages were about $200k. Crews did a solid job on this fire saving what they could from the home while protecting neighboring houses. Photos
8. Burgundy Drive, Oakley (Jan. 31)
This one-alarm fire destroyed the home and took crews about 30-minutes to get the blaze under control. Additionally, neighbors pulled a woman to safety by bringing her over the fence before fire crews arrived. Luckily, no other homes were damaged in the incident. Photos
7. Elizabeth Lane, Antioch (June 29)
This fire had the potential to be a catastrophe as it threatened power lines, towers, Park Middle School, the Antioch Water Treatment Plant and dozens of homes in a blaze that began at 10:55 pm. Firefighters from both CONFIRE and ECCFPD limited this to a vegetation fire. Had firefighters not done a good job in containment, this would have jumped into our top 3 fires of 2013. Photos
6. Sandmound Blvd, Oakley (June 1)
This two-alarm residential fire began at 7:20 am and had potential to destroy neighboring homes. In response, this incident had 9-engines and 30-firefighters on scene. The home was considered a total loss and two pets were lost in the blaze. Photos
5. Edgeview Ct. Discovery Bay (April 25)
This two-alarm fire began as a garage fire that quickly spread to the home causing smoke to be seen for miles away. 6 of the 10 engines on scene were from CONFIRE and the 5th Engine on scene had a response time of 20-minutes. Crews worked to save a neighboring second home while preventing damage to a third home. Photos
4. Taylor Road, Bethel Island (March 20)
This two alarm fire began at 2:30 am where it destroyed two-homes and damaged a third home on Bethel Island as the incident required 10-engines and 40-fire personnel. This incident highlighted the need for a Bethel Island station as the incident occurred just a mile from the closes station. What went right was the Knightsen fire station re-opened months earlier. Photos
3. Greenfield Court, Discovery Bay (October 15)
This incident proved a fire can occur anywhere and at any time. This incident occurred a block away from the Discovery Bay golf course clubhouse and caused an estimated $1 million in damages. The incident began as a garage fire that quickly moved to the remainder of the home. What sticks in our mind most on this incident are the response times as they were high due to the location of where the incident occurred. Photos
- Engine 59- 7:04
- Engine 54-11:03
- Engine 52-12:49
- Engine 94-16:40
- Engine 93-19:35
2. Buchanan Road, Antioch (May 28)
This commercial fire in Antioch took out five businesses and damaged a sixth. The incident began at 8:20 ma and required 35-firefighters to extinguish the blaze. Al’s Giant Burger, Buchanan Nails, Creative Cuts, Antioch Jewelers, and Your Personal Barber Shop were all destroyed during this incident. Photos
1. Morgan Fire / Mt. Diablo (Sept. 8)
The 3,100 acre fire began on Sept. 8 and lasted nearly a week burning the mountain which required 1,413 fire personnel, 143 engines, 4 air tankers, 5 helicopters, 19 dozers, and 10 water tenders. Most firefighters we have spoken with about this fire have said the same thing that they consider it their “career fire” which means it’s the biggest one they will ever experience locally. Photos
12 comments
Thank you to all those who put on that uniform and protect us from fires. I feel bad that 2014 may be worse for you all as the community does not want to seem to support you by providing tools you need to protect us. Sometimes we are our own worst enemy and listen to rhetoric over reality.
This is not a recap, this is a promotion to spark fear into supporting future ballot measures. Yes, there are fires, but its no different than any other year. Nice scare tactics Mr. Burkholder!
Bobby, do you have a solution besides just saying no?
All I have seen you offer is volunteers, which means slower response times, lower preparedness and higher total costs at the end of the day.
Why should we follow you off a cliff? When more property and lives are lost will you be here to be held accountable? What about your friend John from Knightsin(old joke) who likes to write rambling and contradictory guess spots in the Times newspaper? Perhaps you are one and the same?
Simply put we live in a community that is big as far as territory, with a population that is growing, that juggles rural ( unincorporated communities, trains & expanses of country roads) & urban issues (senior housing, freeway accidents, drug manufacturing/growing) with a fire department that has been shrinking and will continue to do so if we don’t do something.
We should all be very scared.
Bobby, have to agree with you.
Buy a clue, just throwing this out there, how about a stop to all building?? Or maybe our building friendly councils put additional fire protection fees on developers to cover the increasesd costs. I know I’m not bringing up anything new. The bottom line is grow , grow , grow, and push the elders and existing residence to pay for the negligence of our county and local governments. Our fire fighters do a tremendous job with what they have. So did those that saved our property and gave a candy cane and orange to every child in Oakley & Knightsen during Christmas since the beginning of our Fire Protection. To all those volunteers, THANK YOU. Those of us who have beern here since the Day Lite Market days will never forget you.
@For why, in another post you say you have lived here for 60 years. So that would put you here at the time the formulas for funding the fire department were done. Did you speak up then when it was obvious that you were under funding? Your neighbors in ConFire obviously got it closer and they pay twice the rate. Were you really thinking you could pay half price indefinitely? Or were you just asleep at the time and now trying to pin it on someone else?
The “just stop building” mentality is classic NIMBY. People think because they moved or lived somewhere first that no one else is entitled. to come in later Did it ever cross your mind that new homes pay the same 1% that you do? So by what stretch of logic did you decide they should also come up with extra money to make up for your failure 35 years ago? Are you aware of the severity of the fire department’s budget deficit? Have you done even basic math on how much money you would have to saddle every new home with to bridge that deficit? Because from what I’ve seen in the posts here none of you naysayers have a lick of sense or basic math skills.
Not everyone in East County wants to live like it’s the 19th Century. As much as you would like to carve out your little slice of old west so close to the constantly growing Bay Area, the fact is you’re trying to live a pipe dream.
The suggestion to save 50, 100 or even $200 on a parcel tax is STUPID if you don’t also have an adult discussion about the downsides. To date, not a single one of you naysayers has shown the ability to do so. What’s the hit to response times? Readiness? Increase in losses of both property and lives? Fire insurance premium increases? Increase in permanent disability claims for injuries to lesser trained volunteers(lifetime payouts, btw)? Lowered property values due to lower level of fire service? Loss of businesses and loss of opportunity to attract new business due to the substandard fire department?
Did any of those factors ever cross your mind? Because I haven’t seen any evidence from you, Bobby, Johnny-wannabe-a-weekend-warrior-in-Knightsen or any of the other critics. What I see is a few people trying to influence the outcome for their own selfish reasons. To get to play on the fire engine. Yes, I’m deadly serious that for some of you wannabe volunteers the goal is that petty and that selfish. To the detriment of the other 105,000 people who rely on this district to protect them. Reminiscing about and longing for the past to the point of putting others in danger today is DUMB any way you slice it.
Let’s see one of you step up to discuss those negative factors in going from a professional to a volunteer department so we can start to take you seriously. Until then, you’re a hazard to public safety with your little just say no campaign.
Buy a clue, did you even read my comment?? Relax, would you. Geez,all I did was throw out a couple of comments and Thank our firemen, present and past. If you find that offensive you can kiss my ass !!!
To those who don’t know about the Day Lite, I’m sorry
For why, Johnny Knightsin, ECVs brother/bother (all one in the same),
Nice try dummy, but your head is buried so far up your arse, that you will never see the “Day Lite”. You are a perfect example of why some people should not breed. Since you are a transplant to east county your no growth ideals smack of hypocrisy. Always wanting someone else to pay your way….what a real model citizen you are.
You should do us all a favor and move back home.
Just for your information I was raised and have lived in east county all my life. That’s over 60 years!!!!!
Thank you to all the firefighters who risk your life to protect us!!!! I am deeply thankful!!!!!!
Call my math simple but I see we have 11 homes destroyed, 6 business and thousands of acres burned which equates to more than any tax would generate within the ECCFPD District. A revenue enhancement is cheap considering this is just 13 incidents and none of the auto accidents. Anti-fire folks need to buy a clue when looking at the big picture.
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