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Volunteers fan Detroit to prevent fires
Fri, Oct 30, 2009 
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DETROIT (AP) — Thousands of volunteers have been working to prevent hundreds of vacant, abandoned and foreclosed homes in Detroit from being burned over the three-night period around Halloween known as Devils' Night.
Patrols took place Thursday and Friday and were to continue today.
The city plans to release final fire numbers Monday.
WJBK-TV reported a suspicious fire on Friday night that was quickly extinguished.
In Detroit, Oct. 30 traditionally had been called Devils' Night, highlighted by mischief and pranks. But in the 1980s, arsonists used the Halloween period to set fires to vacant houses and buildings.
Volunteer patrols have decreased the number of fires, which topped 800 in 1984.
