A five-alarm brush fire in Oakland, California, known as the Keller Fire, started on Friday afternoon in a home on Mountain Avenue and quickly spread to a grove of Eucalyptus trees, burning two homes and threatening dozens more. The fire grew to 15 acres but was 50% contained by Saturday morning. Evacuation orders were issued for Campus Drive and Crystal Ridge Court, which later expanded to surrounding areas. The Oakland Fire Department stated that crews were working aggressively to fully extinguish the blaze, with Fire Chief Damon Covington noting that while the forward progress had been stopped, there was still much work to be done.
One of the two homes damaged belonged to Delane Sims, whose husband narrowly escaped after a front window exploded due to the fire. Thankfully, he was able to evacuate safely. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao urged residents to leave immediately if they were under evacuation orders, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing public health and safety. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) reported that the fire was under control, although crews continued to monitor the situation. The community was grateful for the efforts of the firefighters and the safety of their loved ones.
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