LOCKWOOD - The Fourth of July weekend kept firefighters in Lockwood busy, with crews responding to 28 calls over two days and many tied to fireworks.
Between July 3 and the end of July 4, the Lockwood Fire District responded to eight grass fires, a structure fire, a dumpster fire, a vehicle fire and several other incidents that were either extinguished before crews arrived or quickly brought under control.
(WATCH: A Fourth of July snapshot — Lockwood fireworks overhead, structure fire below)
Battalion Chief Ryan Staley said while not every call was related to fireworks, most were.
"We had a variety of grass fires," Staley said. "All said and done, we responded on a lot of calls for both the third and fourth on fires and everything from vegetation to structure to dumpster and everything in between."
Staley said Fourth of July is typically one of the district's busiest times of the year, but this year's holiday falling on a weekend brought more activity.
"I think we all got a little bit of a false sense of security with the weather that we got last week," Staley said. "We got a little rain before the Fourth and greened everything up a little bit, which was nice, but the reality is the grass is still dry. Everything is still ready to burn."
To prepare, the district added staffing ahead of the holiday.
"We did actually provide extra staffing in anticipation of a busier weekend," Staley said.
Because fireworks are prohibited within Billings city limits but allowed in Yellowstone County, communities such as Lockwood and Laurel often see an influx of people celebrating the holiday.
"A lot of the families and friends come out to Lockwood and Laurel to celebrate the Fourth and utilize the fireworks and the laws that we allow in the county versus not in the city," Staley said.
While firefighters worked multiple fires throughout the night, fireworks continued exploding across the sky.
"That's the reality, especially on the Fourth," Staley said. "We're still going to get the fireworks popping off whether we're fighting a fire or not."
Staley encouraged residents to think about where and how they use fireworks, especially larger aerial mortars.
"If you're going to light big mortars off and things like that, you need a flat pad," he said. "A pad of asphalt, a pad of concrete, even gravel as long as there's no vegetation. Anything with a tilt and you're launching it at the neighbor's house."
He also warned that used fireworks can remain hot long after the show ends.
"We actually had not only a dumpster catch fire because of that garbage, but we also had a grass fire as well that was ignited from what they thought was the leftovers of the fireworks," Staley said. "There were still embers burning."
Staley urged people to keep water nearby, monitor fireworks after they're used and properly dispose of debris to help prevent additional fires.
"I want people just to realize that they have neighbors," he said. "Exercise caution. Not everyone has the capabilities or the facility to light those larger fireworks and do it safely."
