STOCKTON, Calif. — Throughout Thursday night, illegal fireworks lit up the skies all around Stockton, but residents say the real brightness came when the embers from those fireworks touched things like trees and grass, making the dark night look like daytime.
"The window was all lit up like the sun was out," said Fernando Juarez. "It sounded like a war zone."
Juarez watched from inside as illegal fireworks and actual fires lit up his neighborhood Thursday night. One of the fires —ignited around the same time as a barrage of illegal fireworks — charred Rose Guzman's bushes but stopped within inches of her home.
"Everything went up in smoke, everything," said Guzman. "I'm blessed people were around to help contain the fire because it could have been worse."
Later in the night, in her same neighborhood, it was worse. A couple says they were asleep with their cats and dogs when a tree caught fire and quickly spread to their home. By the time firefighters showed up, they had just seconds to escape. Thankfully, no one was injured.
"They were working on the roof, cutting open the roof up and shooting water in there," said neighbor Lyle Summerfield.
Just down the street from the now-damaged home are remnants of what homeowners and firefighters believe likely caused the blaze: illegal fireworks.
"After they're gone, they still shoot up fireworks like they don't even care. They burn one place down and want to start all over again?" said Summerfield. "That's crazy."
In just 24 hours, Stockton firefighters say they got more than three times the number of calls they normally would. They say nearly all vegetation fires Thursday night — including one in the Country Club area — were caused by illegal fireworks.
"Fire trucks were up and down the street all night long," said Juarez.
In the days right before the Fourth of July, fire officials held several public safety demonstrations highlighting the danger of illegal fireworks. After dealing with that busy night Thursday night, fire crews say they were resting up Friday and will be ready to respond to any other fires that might pop up later.
"They don't seem to care," said Summerfield of the illegal fireworks users.
Watch more from ABC10: Fireworks suspected in fire that damaged Natomas Middle School
