Keller Fire evacuees return to Oakland Hills homes after dodging disaster; evacuation orders lifted
All evacuees forced out of their homes by the Keller Fire in the Oakland Hills were allowed to return home. Fire officials lifted the final evacuation orders at 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Earlier in the day, Oakland police officers escorted evacuees, who live on or near Campus Drive back to their homes.
"Yes, it's quite a journey," said Marc Bryan, when asked about his first trip back home since Friday.
Bryan said he was relieved to make that journey home. He evacuated on Friday from his condo near Campus Drive with just a jacket and a go-bag.
"It's been a while, it seems a lot longer than a couple of days," said Bryan.
He slept in his car on Friday night and stayed at a friend's house on Saturday night.
The Keller Fire burned not too far away from his condo complex on Friday afternoon. It started on the shoulder of westbound Interstate Highway 580 and strong winds quickly pushed the flames uphill toward a grove of eucalyptus trees on Mountain Boulevard, near Keller Drive.
"The smoke plumes were going south and west of us," recalled Bryan.
The wind-driven fire at one point threatened several hundred homes. Airplanes and helicopters joined the firefight pretty quickly. Authorities say Cal OES had pre-positioned those air resources in the county because of the Red Flag Warning for the region.
"The response was just extraordinary. And I'm immensely grateful for that," said Bryan.
The Oakland Fire Department said the fire was 90% contained Monday morning. It damaged two homes and injured one firefighter. Many homeowners said it could've been a lot worse. Some returned to find the fire burned right up to their yard.
"I feel blessed," said homeowner Brady Tymn. "I'm very lucky that nothing burned and everyone is okay."
Evacuees like Bryan said there's no place like home.
"I'm just glad to be here and get back to what my regular routine was," said Bryan.
As for how the first started on the side of the freeway, fire officials are still investigating that.