Burned-out residents say fire by I-580 in Oakland could have been prevented

Several families affected by a large fire in Oakland on Friday were trying to assess the damage and figure out where they'll stay for the next few months. Da Lin reports. (9-17-22)

[bellagirlgirl]

Started by a homeless camper along hwy 580, near 35th Ave exit? Sounds about right. Campers located along same highway, one exit farther along (High Street exit) were removed and came back. The vegetation provides a natural sound barrier to the highway noise. If people weren't illegally camped out along the highway, there wouldn't be a problem. Homeowners whose home was damaged by this fire will probably sue the city of Oakland or CalTrans fo failure to keep campers off that land.

[inmerATP]

The residents are being held hostage by the city. Homeowners get pranged for the smallest thing by wildfire inspections, but the city skips out wholesale on its obligations. The roads are trash. The parks are full of dead trees and French broom. The police are overwhelmed.

Meanwhile, 911 wait times are insane. My catalytic converter, stolen from in front of my home at 5pm during a weekday this week, prompted a call -- I had to wait 8 minutes to get a 911 operator while they were literally under my car cutting it up. That's enough time for a fire to jump from one home to at least one more, and/or an entire stand of dead trees.

Oakland is in deep shit. The parks department refuses to deal with dead trees. The city employees are just trying to make it to retirement. You can't get a 911 operator for a fire truck. Nobody wants to stick their necks out and get blamed when the inevitable happens.

[TristanMorrow]

31 years in October, some of us still remember the Diablo windstorm and infamous Oakland Hills fire 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥😨🔥
(I'm sure some of these residents do)

[westoaklanddlee]

Just put those homeless in jail if they don’t want to take government help!!!! So sick and tired of these homeless!!! They are like rats!!!

[davesvintageequipment]

There are a lot of them up on 580 and all along 880. Maybe it's time some of you folks changed your voting habits, in order to get this taken care of.

[smokincooks]

CalTrans chopped down all of the trees and shrubs alongside I-880 where I live, when the vegetation posed no fire hazard, and is not close to homes like in this unfortunate case. It also didn't have any encampments. Now the noise and road dust is insane, the trees and bushes did a lot to help before. The bare dirt area is just a dumping ground now, with little shelter for the wildlife. The largest trees and shrubs had been planted by a former resident, so they destroyed what took 40 years to grow.

No one asked for nearby resident's opinions on how it would affect our neighborhood before they cut everything down, and my dad's pleading to CalTrans did nothing.

So they apply resources in areas where the projects are unnecessary and unwanted, and neglect areas that actually need it.

[rhp_]

'Nobody died, '. This time. Get rid of the freaking bums.

[kevinchung]

Thank the homeless and your Democrats for allowing this

[Pheedub]

If it was in fact started by a homeless encampment. Where is all the money going to help the homeless? Billions of tax payer $$$ has been sent to Oakland in the last 3 years. Where is the progress?

[Naut]

Stop throwing lit cigarettes out of your window.

[DwnRace]

Probably started by homeless! Once they have proof the owners should sue Oakland, Mayor Libby Schaaf, Police, and anyone else who allowed the encampment to exist! Even the Non Profits that Promote Homeless Rights!

[propblastnd]

In California they are far to busy trying to figure out what to ban next.

[ItsFinished]

All provided by bay area politics and a lame California governer... VOTE THE LEFT OUT!

[aptpupil]

I remember the last time homeless started a fire in this exact location... Right next to a gas station also. This needs to end.
Seneca Scott for mayor.

[westoaklanddlee]

I remember one of the west Oakland homeless saying give us space and finical help but leave us alone and let us do whatever we want to do!

[UE]

Thats sucks!! Honestly tho clearing brush away from your property even if it means going behind your back fence and clearing open space back 20-30 ft you just need to own it and do it. Because no one else is going to look out for the safety of your property. The brush and growth in that area was definitely not cut back and pruned up to standard fire safe regulations..

[silvermica]

We are extremely careful when it comes to public health and safety over COVID - yet the obvious hazards of homeless encampments are totally ignored. The city is at fault here. The city should pay to have all of those homes rebuilt.

[doriangray]

This is what happens again and again and again when you have an incompetent Mayor and City Council that are hands off when it comes to law and order in the city of Oakland. They just let people do what they want to do and look the other way unless you are a tax paying citizen. If you want something done you have to follow a bunch of rules and regulations, jump through hoops and pay for all kinds of permits and pay fines so as to fill the city's coffers if you don't comply. It's a free for all for everybody else.

[robertmedina]

I’m glad that Main news gets their facts right first before putting it out to the public. Good job CBS.

[CHIPNDEATH]

does Caltrains has maintenance on the vegetation on the freeways? because that bush fire got quickly big