Sheriff’s deputies, Los Angeles County fire and animal control officials were busy during this past Fourth of July weekend, officials said Monday.

Between Friday, July 3, through Sunday, July 5, the Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station deputies responded to 244 calls for services regarding fireworks, seized more than 200 lbs. of illegal fireworks and cited two people for illegal fireworks use, said Detective Josh Dubin of the SCV Sheriff’s Station. On Saturday, July 4, deputies responded to 147 calls for service regarding illegal fireworks.

Los Angeles County Fire Department officials received above average calls for a normal day but were not over the top busy, officials said. 

Residents from a home on the 22600 block of La Rochelle Drive reported a brush fire around 6 p.m. Saturday, officials said. No homes or structures were damaged and no injuries were reported.

Los Angeles County firefighters responded to the home and doused a one-and-a-half acre brush fire, according to a Nixle news release. There were numerous reports of illegal fireworks being used in the area just before the brush fire.

Arson investigators with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the cause of the fire, according to the Nixle.

Los Angeles County Animal Care and Control officials had about 34 dogs and cats that have been impounded since July 3 in Castaic, said Castaic Animal Shelter Manager Karen Stepp. About 25 of those were dogs and nine were cats.

About 12 were returned to their owners and have gone home, she said, adding that the animals can be “scared out of their minds” because of fireworks even with their owner’s best intention to protect them.

For more information about firework safety, read the story.