Berkeley Hills residents urged to leave homes Friday night due to ‘extreme fire weather’

Berkeley Hills residents are asked to leave their homes by 8 p.m. Friday. BFD’s alert came as an acres-wide fire burned to the east in the Oakland Hills, prompting evacuations.

by Alex N. Gecan Oct. 18, 2024, 4:05 p.m.

Residents living in Berkeley Hills neighborhoods shown in blue on the Berkeley Emergency Map are urged to preemptively leave their homes Friday evening. Evacuation warnings and orders will be shown on the same map in yellow and red. Credit: Zoneaware

The Berkeley Fire Department has declared a state of “extreme fire weather” from 8 p.m. Friday until 7 a.m. Saturday, recommending anyone in the Berkeley Hills preemptively evacuate their homes and head downhill before that 8 p.m. start time.

The alert came just a couple hours after an acres-wide fire began in the Oakland Hills near Interstate 580 and Keller Avenue, prompting evacuations in that area.

“Extreme fire weather” is a designation specific to Berkeley that takes effect when wind speed and humidity levels during a “red flag warning” — a National Weather Service designation, which took effect Thursday — “would produce especially risky conditions in Berkeley,” according to a notice that went out via AC Alert shortly after 3 p.m. Friday.

This is the first time extreme fire weather has been declared since the department started using the designation in 2021.

“These rare and dangerous conditions were last seen in October 2020. They exceed Berkeley’s threshold for Extreme Fire Weather — a Berkeley Fire Department trigger for additional preparedness steps beyond those we take during every Red Flag Warning,” according to the alert. “Because a fire that starts under these conditions could spread rapidly, we have activated our Emergency Operations Center, positioned additional firefighters and engines, and increased police patrols in the hills.”

The humidity is likely to stay low and sustained winds were forecast to blow 15-25 miles per hour.

The Berkeley Fire Department will announce Extreme Fire Weather on the most dangerous Red Flag days. Officials emphasize that conditions are on a spectrum, with no one point where you become safe or unsafe. Source: Berkeley Fire

BFD issued these recommendations for residents in the city’s most fire-prone ares:

If you live in Fire Zone 2 or 3, consider relocating to a lower elevation until dangerous weather subsides — especially if you would have trouble getting out quickly during an evacuation. Leaving the area during periods of heightened threat is the best way to stay in control and minimize your risk.
Stay with friends, family, or at a hotel until this dangerous weather subsides. BFD has partnered with Visit Berkeley to secure fire relief discounts for Berkeley residents at five local hotels during extreme fire weather. Additionally, there will be an increased law enforcement presence in the hills to provide added security as people leave their homes.
Be ready to evacuate by using Berkeley’s Emergency Map: Download the Genasys Protect App to receive real-time alerts about any status changes or emergencies in zones you care about, and find your evacuation zone on the map website, which will be referenced in AC Alert evacuation messages. (Example: “BER-E044” is Berkeley Zone 44) and learn more about the city’s emergency alerting tools, such as the Outdoor Warning System.
Have go-bags ready and placed by the door, and review evacuation plans with your household. Park off the street to leave roadways clear for emergency vehicles and back into your driveway or garage to make exiting quickly easier. Find more information on how to prepare on the fire weather and evacuation webpage.
Secure outdoor furniture: Bring patio furniture, umbrellas, grills and other items that might blow away during high winds indoors or find another way to secure them.

“Please stay alert and be prepared to evacuate if needed. The strongest winds — and greatest danger — will be overnight. Leave your phone on, turn the volume up, disable ‘do not disturb’ settings and keep it nearby. Place go-bags and shoes by the door and review evacuation plans with your family before bed,” the alert reads. “If you feel threatened, leave immediately — do not wait for an evacuation order. Consider evacuating on your own if you see visible fire nearby or strong winds carrying smoke or embers through your neighborhood.”