On October 18, the Oakland Hills experienced a significant wildfire known as the “Keller Fire,” which forced hundreds of residents to evacuate. By the morning of October 19, firefighting efforts had managed to control approximately 50% of the flames, according to the Oakland Fire Department.
During a press conference on October 19, Fire Chief Damon Covington described how the Keller Fire erupted around 1 PM near Highway 580 and rapidly spread towards the Sequoyah Heights community. The blaze triggered evacuations for hundreds of local residents and led to the closure of the highway, with nearly 200 firefighters engaged in combating the fire.
By the morning of October 19, evacuation orders for some communities near the fire had been lifted, although areas north of Keller Avenue, including Sequoyah Heights, Caballo Hills, and Ridgemont, remained under evacuation orders.
“We want to get people back into their homes,” Covington stated. “But we must approach this with caution and responsibility.”
The San Francisco Chronicle noted that the Keller Fire broke out under hazardous conditions characterized by strong winds, low humidity, and dry vegetation. However, conditions improved on October 19 with a decrease in wind speed and an increase in relative humidity to between 20% and 25%, resulting in better air quality.
Furthermore, the nearby Berkeley area also lifted its evacuation advisory for mountain residents that had been issued on October 18.
The Keller Fire rekindled painful memories for many of the devastating 1991 Oakland Hills Fire, which occurred in mid-October and resulted in 25 fatalities, 150 injuries, and the destruction of over 3,000 homes.
Covington noted that there are many similarities between the two fires, including their ignition points near highways and their rapid spread to neighboring communities, largely fueled by the presence of flammable eucalyptus trees. However, he emphasized that the firefighting teams were much better prepared today than they were 33 years ago.
Before the October 18 fire broke out, Covington reported that their firefighting teams were already patrolling the area. Following the outbreak, firefighters from various locations across the Bay Area and other parts of California quickly joined the effort. “Alameda County organized a firefighting strike team to control the blaze while it was still in its early stages,” Covington explained.
The Chronicle highlighted that the Keller Fire initially ignited about two miles north of the Oakland Zoo and about two miles southeast of Merritt College, neither of which sustained damage from the fire.
