Illegal fireworks lit up the Los Angeles sky on the Fourth of July, prompting over a thousand illegal fireworks complaints and air pollution.

This is despite the cancellation of many Fourth of July fireworks shows due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The Los Angeles Police Department received over 1,000 illegal fireworks complaints submitted online by 10 p.m. Saturday, reported CBS Los Angeles.

The police said they had to hold many 911 calls because the lines were clogged up from the complaints. They had to apologize for delays for the entire night.

They urged the residents to only call 911 for emergencies. That is, only call if someone is hurt or there is fire.

The LAPD's Communications Division said those who called for non-emergencies are "tying up 911 for other life-threatening emergencies".

The police department said they had to hold over 50 calls on 911 and over 170 calls were not emergencies.

Fire on the 4th of July

A fire started with several large palm trees in L.A. It spread and destroyed an apartment building in Northridge, said a report from Fox News.

By the time firefighters put out the fire, eight apartment units were already destroyed.

Officials say half of the apartment complex burned down. Five tenants were reportedly injured.

Los Angeles Fire Department spokesperson Margaret Stewart said about 50 residents had to be moved out of their homes because of the incident.

The fire surrounded the apartment units and palm trees. It took 81 firefighters 43 minutes to put out the fire. An investigation determined the fire was caused by illegal fireworks, officials said.

Stewart said the Fourth of July was always a busier night for their department. Different types of fires happen on the day, she said.

The fire department usually gets 1,400 calls for service in a day, maybe even lower. But on Saturday, it responded to 1,738 calls, Stewart said.

Public information officer Sky Cornell said it was the second-busiest day in the department's history.

It was only second to February 17, 2012 when firefighters received 1,777 calls during a rainstorm.

The county's public health officials temporarily banned fireworks displays and closed beaches earlier in the week. Parking lots were closed and people were encouraged to watch from their homes.

There weren't official fireworks shows but backyard displays still caused the air quality in L.A. to be rated as dangerous in some areas the following morning.

Fine-particle pollution levels in the area soared

Fireworks give off high levels of particulate matter called PM2.5. July 4 and July 5 usually meet high levels of this particle, health officials said.

Phillip Fine of the South Coast Air Quality Management District said it was definitely one of his worst years for July 4 and July 5 fireworks episodes.

The PM2.5 air pollution was more concentrated this year. It stayed in the air longer compared to past holidays, said a report from Los Angeles Times.

The dangerous air quality was first reported around 10 p.m. in central Los Angeles and the air pollution did not improve until about 8 a.m.

The same condition happened in Anaheim around midnight.

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