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By BenIndy, February 2, 2024
Contra Costa Health (CCH) has lifted the Shelter in Place order and stopped the community warning sirens after the Martinez Refining Company erupted in flames yesterday.
While air quality near the refinery has improved, a public health advisory remains in effect for Martinez, parts of Pacheco, and Clyde, with CCH advising residents with respiratory sensitivities to stay indoors.
READ: Martinez Health Advisory Remains in Effect Today
Investigations into the fire’s cause and effects will be extensive, given its severity. While the blaze was contained to the refinery, massive smoke columns and harmful emissions spread across Contra Costa and Solano Counties, potentially threatening the health and safety of thousands.
Community Alerts
The threat to human health and safety was somewhat contained by Contra Costa’s Community Warning System, which helped alert local residents to the immediate danger and notify them of evacuation and Shelter in Place orders.
The Bay Area Air District (BAAQMD) also issued two community warnings on Saturday to ensure the public was aware of the incident before issuing an incident report Sunday morning briefly describing the chain of events on Saturday.
The Air District responded to reports of an oily smell in Martinez around 10:45 am, which were soon linked to a fire at the Martinez Refining Company. MRC issued a Level 2 alert for the fire in its Light Oil Processing area, where Air District staff observed the flames and emissions.
READ: Air District INCIDENT REPORT for MRC Level 3 Fire (February 1, 2025)
By 5:00 p.m., Contra Costa County Health escalated the warning to Level 3, with the fire later being mostly contained and the source isolated. Level 3 incidents are classified by CCH as severe emergencies that pose immediate threats to public health or safety, requiring urgent protective actions like shelter-in-place orders or evacuations.
“Scared” in Benicia
Benicia residents also received fire and emissions warnings through the city’s own community warning system, operated by the Benicia Fire Department.
For Benicians not signed up for alerts from Contra Costa County, or agencies like the Air District, or third-party apps like FireWatch, the City of Benicia’s direct communication to residents was welcomed as a breath of fresh air.
SIGN UP: Enroll in Contra Costa’s Community Warning System
SIGN UP: News and Alerts from the Air District
SIGN UP: Learn About Benicia’s Community Alert System (through Alert Solano)
Some Benicians noted they may not have even known about the potential health risks without the City’s alerts, let alone known how to respond. Others commented that the notification offered not much more than temporary peace of mind, although that peace of mind was appreciated.
“At first, I honestly didn’t think the city was going to do anything at all about it,” said one resident, who requested anonymity for fear of being accused of politicizing the incident in light of Benicia City Council’s upcoming status report regarding adopting a local Industrial Safety Ordinance.
The resident continued: “I didn’t think I could expect that kind of thing from Benicia. I feel like it’s ‘minimize, minimize, forget, repeat’ whenever anything bad happens here. But that text meant I slept okay at home last night, with my family.”
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