At 1133 hours on Sunday, the Incident Commander instructed
Oakland Fire Communications to request five Strike Teams from Alameda
County to stage at Hiller and Tunnel Roads, a half mile ahead of the fire
on the left flank. He reported that the fire was totally out of control and
moving on several fronts, involving more than 100 acres of trees, brush,
and houses. He also requested the response of Pacific Gas and Electric
because of numerous power lines that were falling as their poles burned.
This request was intended to provide the resources to make a stand
to hold the fire inside Temescal Canyon, trying to prevent its spread into
the Hiller Highlands development or over the top to Grandview Canyon.
Hiller Road is the only wide access road to the hillside, and Hiller
Highlands provided the best opportunity to make a stand ahead of the fire
that was moving quickly along the north face of the Canyon.
The fire not only burned up the slope and outward on both flanks,
but the wind coming over the ridge pushed flames, smoke, and burning
brands back down into the canyon. At 1134 hours it became evident that a
fire front was moving down the canyon toward the Command Post. At the bottom of the slope, more than 200 feet below Buckingham Blvd., the
Parkwood Apartments suddenly became an exposure. Highway Patrol
Officers had already closed the Caldecott Tunnel and were trying to clear
the backed-up traffic from Highway 24 by sending cars back toward
Highway 13. Oakland Police Officers were sent to warn the apartment
residents to evacuate and found some residents already driving out through
the narrow security gate. As more residents heard the warnings, the single
exit road from the complex became clogged with cars and pedestrians.
The Incident Commander’s next request, at 1135, was for the
Oakland Police to send as many officers as possible to help with
evacuations, beginning with the 7100 block of Marlborough Terrace.
The Incident Commander sent the only available companies to try
to evacuate and protect the exposed apartment complex. At 1137 hours
Engine 1, Truck 1, and Truck 3 tried to enter and work their way toward
the rear of the complex, but they encountered backed-up traffic with more
than 1,000 residents trying to escape on the private roadways. The plume
of superheated gasses and the shower of burning brands was beginning to
ignite exposed wood surfaces on the upper levels of the buildings at the
rear of the complex. Trees among the buildings also ignited, adding to the
exposure problem.
Engine 1 worked its way back to a position to operate its elevating
master stream, laying a five-inch supply line, but exposures were igniting
rapidly and the position in front of the fire became untenable. The crews
committed themselves to interior search and rescue, going in after residents
who were reported to still be inside the three- and four-story buildings.
The Incident Commander located another available company, Engine 16,
and sent them to assist in the apartment complex at 1141 hours. While this
was happening, Engine 6 was reporting that the fire was spreading south
from Grizzly Peak Terrace, 600 feet directly above Parkwood.
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