Yesterday some deputies from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Department in northern California were demonstrating the danger of fireworks when the fireworks they set off started a wildfire. Thankfully, firefighters put it out after it burned 5 acres.

Last year we put together a list of some of the deaths, injuries, and fires caused by July 4, 2008 fireworks.

Here is a graph from the US Fire Administration that shows the daily incidence of “outdoor fires”. Notice the major spike between July 1 and 15 that is no doubt caused by people with fireworks.