In a frightening echo of the devastating 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm, a wind-whipped brush fire erupted Friday afternoon in the hills of Oakland, California, damaging structures and forcing hundreds of residents to flee as firefighters raced to prevent the blaze from spiraling out of control.
The fire, which ignited around 1:30 pm near Interstate 580, rapidly engulfed 13 acres as tinder-dry conditions and howling “diablo winds” fanned the flames. By 2:30 pm, over 80 city firefighters were on the scene, joined by state fire crews and air tankers dropping fire retardant in a desperate attempt to hem in the inferno.
Homes Damaged as Hundreds Evacuate
While an official tally has not been released, the Oakland Fire Department confirmed that at least 10 structures have been damaged by the swift-moving blaze. It remains unclear how many of those are homes and the extent of the destruction.
As the fire continued its march through the drought-parched hills, authorities expanded mandatory evacuation orders to encompass a nearly three-mile area, according to an Oakland Fire Department spokesperson. “Hundreds of residents are being evacuated,” the spokesperson told reporters, noting that an exact count was not yet available as the chaotic scene continued to unfold.
The American Red Cross is in the process of setting up a temporary shelter at a nearby elementary school to house those forced to flee, many with little more than the clothes on their backs and precious mementos hastily grabbed as they ran out the door.
Winds and Power Shut-Offs Complicate Firefight
The blustery diablo winds, which the National Weather Service warns could gust up to 65 mph in the region, are severely complicating the battle to contain the Oakland blaze and prevent a replay of the 1991 firestorm that claimed 25 lives and incinerated nearly 3,000 homes.
In a preemptive move to reduce wildfire risks, Pacific Gas and Electric cut power to approximately 16,000 customers in 19 counties across the northern and central parts of California, including parts of Alameda County, where Oakland is located. The beleaguered utility warned that as many as 20,000 customers could see their power temporarily shut off during this wind event.
“This could end up being the most significant wind event for this year so far. We want to tell people to be cautious,” said Brayden Murdock, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Bay Area office.
Traffic Nightmare as Residents Flee
As the fire erupted alongside Interstate 580, a key transit artery connecting the Bay Area to central California, traffic in the area quickly snarled as panicked residents attempted to escape the encroaching flames and thick smoke drifting across the region.
Firetrucks and ambulances found themselves momentarily stymied by the gridlock, their sirens wailing as they struggled to navigate the choked freeway lanes and narrow side streets. Some desperate drivers even resorted to using on-ramps to exit the freeway, while others took to the shoulders in a frantic bid to escape the sea of stalled vehicles.
Aerial Assault as Fire Marches On
Overhead, a squadron of air tankers and helicopters continued to douse the flames with water and fire retardant in a non-stop aerial assault against the wind-stoked blaze. According to sources, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection aircraft have made multiple retardant drops in an effort to slow the fire’s advance and allow ground crews a chance to establish containment lines.
But even as an army of firefighters from across the region converges on the scene, the fire shows little sign of surrendering its grip. Towering columns of smoke are visible from miles away, casting an apocalyptic pall over the Oakland hills and serving as an ominous reminder of the inferno’s destructive power.
Anxious Vigil as Fight Continues
As night falls on the beleaguered city, shellshocked residents who escaped the flames huddle in temporary shelters and area parking lots, trading worried rumors about the extent of the destruction as they await word on when – or if – they’ll be able to return to their homes.
For the brave men and women on the front lines of this battle, there will be little rest. Through the long night and into the uncertain dawn, they will continue to pour their blood, sweat and tears into the desperate fight to bring the Oakland hills fire to heel – a grim ballet of courage and determination set against the hellish backdrop of smoke and flame.
