Five-Alarm Keller Fire in Oakland Hills Damages 10 Homes, Forces 500 to Evacuate

Oct 18, 2024, 10:40 PM

A fast-moving vegetation fire broke out around 1 p.m. on Friday in the Oakland Hills near Mountain Boulevard and Maynard Avenue, burning multiple homes amid high winds and a Red Flag Warning. The five-alarm fire, dubbed the Keller Fire, prompted mandatory evacuations for residents in the surrounding areas, including Campus Drive and Crystal Ridge Court, with the evacuation zone expanding as the fire progressed. Approximately 500 residents were evacuated as the fire spread across 13 acres, damaging at least 10 structures. Firefighters from multiple agencies, including Cal Fire, responded to the blaze, deploying aircraft to drop retardant and water. Interstate 580 was closed near Keller Avenue due to the fire but has since reopened. The fire was visible from across the bay in San Francisco. The forward progress of the fire has been stopped, and no injuries have been reported.