Residents mystified at bright lights flashing over East Bay
RODEO, Calif. - Residents in western Contra Costa County were mystified on Monday night after many saw flashing lights in the distance.
The bright lights were actually flaring from a refinery in Rodeo.
An official from the Phillips 66 San Francisco Refinery said a unit was being started up, and that's why there was flaring.
Flaring is part of a safety process to burn off excess hydrocarbons in the unit, and he said it is not a health concern.