Watch: Illegal fireworks light up night sky, spark fires across Sacramento region

Each year on the Fourth of July, the sky across parts of Northern California lights up with illegal fireworks displays. The 2024 holiday was no exception, even as several communities stepped up fines and other crackdown efforts. Some fireworks were spotted by KCRA 3's skycam before the sun fully set and they continued through the night. See our livestreams of the skies over West Sacramento and south Sacramento below. On the ground, it was easier to see the dangers illegal fireworks pose during a dry heat wave. KCRA 3 had several news crews and photographers throughout the region, who were able to see a large amount of illegal fireworks being set off.At one point, our photographer near Delta Shores in south Sacramento caught a fire at Levar Burton Park that appeared to be sparked in an area with multiple illegal fireworks being set off.The Sacramento Metropolitan Fire District and other departments across Northern California faced a busy night on the Fourth of July."We had calls ranging from wildfires to our normal medical aids to structure fires and buildings burning. We had so many issues against us. We had the heat, we have the dry vegetation, and we've got people lighting off incendiary devices in their front porches," said Parker Wilburn, spokesperson for Sacramento Metro Fire.KCRA 3's Lee Anne Denyer rode along with Sac Metro Fire as firefighters responded to calls, including garage fires on Ebonywood Court in Citrus Heights and Los Feliz Way in Carmichael. The fire in Citrus Heights caused significant damage to a home. A grass fire in Elverta was also confirmed to be set by illegal fireworks. Denyer said remnants of the fireworks were littered across the ground as a field burned nearby.In Rio Linda, a property manager grabbed a hose to help put out a vegetation fire that quickly spread to a fence and burned a vehicle on Delano Street. Fireworks were found in the bike path near the fire. Investigators determined fireworks had caused the fire. In the Antelope area, a large group of minors tossed fireworks and other incendiary weapons toward traffic, including a deputy, the sheriff's office said.When deputies got to where the group was along Heartland Drive near Teotom Park, the sheriff's office said most of the minors tried running away. Deputies detained several of them, one having a handgun, which led to their arrest.At some point during the interaction, one of the minors detonated a mortar under an unmarked sheriff's vehicle, the sheriff's office said. No deputies were harmed from that explosion.Overall, Sac Metro Fire said there were 2,500 calls to 911 and non-emergency lines. The 911 call count was 1,465, up 45% from last year. In the Natomas area of Sacramento, fireworks were blamed for causing a fire on the roof at Natomas Middle School. "I know we all love fireworks but illegal fireworks just set fire to a roof to a school in #Natomas. That is not ok," Councilmember Lisa Kaplan wrote on X. Here are more updates from law enforcement about their Fourth of July response on Thursday. Woodland police said they made about 30 citations. Two of those included fines of more than $10,000. There were no arrests Stockton Fire said they had 356 calls for services over a 24-hour period that ended at 8 a.m. on Friday. They typically have about 110-130 calls. A dispatch center servicing Stockton, Lodi, Manteca, Lathrop and Tracy had 559 calls, compared to the more typical 160-180. Stockton Fire said they're still working on compiling the number of citations that were issued. Lodi police said they issued nine citations and seized several pounds of illegal fireworks. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app.--KCRA 3's Jonathan Ayestas and Daniel Macht contributed to this story.