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Could the Oakland Hills Burn Again?

The Keller Fire has been contained. But it could have been much worse; just ask residents who were there for the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.
Fire crews respond to the Keller Fire in Oakland on Oct. 18, 2024. (Martin do Nascimento/KQED)

The Keller Fire, which ignited last Friday in the Oakland Hills, has been contained after burning 15 acres. It temporarily displaced more than 500 residents and damaged two homes.

33 years ago — almost to the day — a much larger and more catastrophic fire burned through the Oakland Hills, killing 25 people and destroying thousands of buildings. It’s a stark reminder of what can happen when wildfires spread in an urban area.

This episode originally aired on Oct. 20, 2021. 


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