The scary Keller Fire which broke out Friday afternoon was a cause for traumatic memories for some longtime Oakland hills residents of the firestorm of 1991, the 33rd anniversary of which was on Saturday.
We still do not know the cause of the fire that broke out Friday around 2 pm near Keller Avenue and I-580 in Oakland, though there have been reports of a flaming bag of trash, and a report that the blaze began the shoulder of the freeway and spread to nearby trees.
The fire and the Red Flag Warning issued prior to it led to the evacuation of hundreds of residents of the Oakland and Berkeley hills, though the fire remained contained to the area in and around the Caballo Hills neighborhood.
The Keller Fire ultimately grew to 13 acres.
Around 200 firefighters were on the scene at its height, with the Oakland Fire Department receiving assistance and air support from Cal Fire, Alameda County, and other local jurisdictions.
Air support is awesome but we can’t say enough about the @AlamedaCoFire / @calfireSCU hand crews which played a key role in establishing a fire break at the Keller Fire, and worked tirelessly the last three days to contain and extinguish the fire. Thank you all! pic.twitter.com/DgI5GP35RO
— Oakland Fire Department (CA) (@OaklandFireCA) October 21, 2024
While early reports suggested that as many as 10 homes suffered damage Friday, in the end, only two homes were affected by fire damage, as NBC Bay Area reports. About a dozen homes were actively under threat of fire Friday afternoon.
Forward progress on the fire was stopped within about three hours of its start on Friday, however a couple dozen firefighters remain on the scene as of Monday. As of early Monday morning, the fire was declared 90% contained.
Residents of 43 homes in the area that were ordered evacuated were allowed to return home on Sunday night.
"Air support is awesome but we can’t say enough about the [Alameda County Fire and Cal Fire SCU] hand crews which played a key role in establishing a fire break at the Keller Fire, and worked tirelessly the last three days to contain and extinguish the fire. Thank you all!" wrote a rep for the Oakland Fire Department on X.
Michael Hunt, a spokesperson for the department, issued a statement Monday saying, "Community members are advised that the smell of smoke in the Keller fire area is likely to continue for the next several days, and does not necessarily indicate ongoing fire."
Photo via Oakland Fire Department
