Flaring at the Martinez refinery Friday night

Communities around the refinery in Martinez could see and hear flaring on Friday night, which often occurs when a refinery needs to burn off flammable gas due to pressure or other issues.

The flaring could be seen from the I-680 Freeway and Marina Vista Avenue.

“Flares are an essential part of a refinery’s integrated, engineered safety system. They are designed to safely manage excess combustible gasses by burning them off efficiently and effectively,” Martinez Refining Company spokesperson Brandon Matson said in a statement. “We apologize for impacting some of our neighbors and thank our employees who are safely responding to resolve the equipment issue that is causing the flaring.”

The refinery offered up its community inquiry phone number to the public and said people can call 925-313-3777 (or 925-313-3601 during off-work hours) to report issues or ask questions.

Staff writer Katie Lauer contributed reporting.