Update, Tuesday, Oct 20, 2:42 p.m.: The Berkeley Police Department now says the fire is under control. They characterized it in an alert as having “minimal to no known threat to life or property.”
Original story: A fire ignited at 11:45 a.m. in the hills along the Oakland-Berkeley border near the 1000 block of Panoramic Way, roughly halfway between the Claremont Resort and Club and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
By 12:20, the blaze had damaged at least one residential home and spread to a half-acre in size, according to the Oakland Fire Department. Berkeley Police say the fire is 2-3 acres in size and are advising people to avoid the area.
Firefighters from Berkeley, Oakland, East Bay Regional Park District, Cal Fire, and Alameda County are on scene trying to contain the flames. Authorities described the fire as having a slow rate of speed.
“They appear to be making good progress,” Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt said.
By 1:15 p.m., Hunt said crews had stopped the forward progress of the fire.
Smoke from the fire was visible in Rockridge. Credit: courtesy of MM MM
Cal Fire was able to make a water drop on the flames using a helicopter.
Residents in the East Bay have spotted the flames and smoke from miles around.
The location of today’s fire is not far from where the catastrophic Oakland hills firestorm erupted exactly 35 years ago today, killing 25 people, injuring 150, and causing $1.5 billion in damage. Today’s conditions are less windy and not as dry.
This is a breaking story. Check back for updates.
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