VIDEO: The Phoenix Fire Department had a busy Fourth of July, with over 200 calls for service in the city alone in a 24-hour span.
Phoenix Fire officials say they dispatched crews 187 times to calls for service in the city between 8 a.m. on Thursday and 8 a.m. on Friday, a 300% increase from a typical weekday in Phoenix.
They had some neighboring city departments respond to calls as well, pushing the total number to over 200 calls for service. Those calls included grass and backyard fires, and they are still determining exactly how many were started by fireworks.
“The fact that it’s 187 compared to 51 the day before, we can probably attribute that to fireworks,” said Phoenix Fire Captain Rob McDade.
According to McDade, the Phoenix Fire Department’s busiest nights are July 4th and New Year’s Eve.