Calm Weather Aids Firefighters in Containing Small Oakland Wildfire
OAKLAND, Calif. — Firefighters in Oakland, California, capitalized on more favorable weather conditions on Sunday to enhance containment efforts of a small wildfire that resulted in the destruction of two homes and led to the evacuation of over 500 residents.
While most displaced residents were permitted to return home on Saturday, several evacuation orders remained active for specific areas in a hillside neighborhood where teams continued to extinguish remaining hotspots.
Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington expressed caution during a Saturday evening briefing, stating, “We don’t want to assume that it’s out and come back and it’s sparked again.”
As of Sunday morning, the fire was reported to be 70% contained.
The wildfire ignited Friday afternoon, exacerbated by strong “diablo winds,” known for their hot and dry characteristics during the autumn season, which significantly heightened wildfire risks across Northern California. Red flag warnings for increased fire danger were lifted on Saturday, and conditions improved over the weekend.
The cause of the wildfire remains under investigation.
This incident occurred just one day prior to the anniversary of the devastating 1991 Oakland Hills fire, which resulted in the destruction of nearly 3,000 homes and claimed 25 lives.
