"The fire then was fueled by brush - desiccated by both long-term drought and days of 90-degree heat during the peak of California's fire season. Powerful winds cast embers wide, setting shake roofs alight throughout hilly, narrow neighborhood streets. Communication between departments - including those that rushed into the area to offer mutual aid - was disorganized, with at least one unit waiting 24 hours for orders, while others freelanced, doing what they thought was best."
"A lack of common radio frequencies delayed evacuations. Those who went to the emergency operations center were "greeted by pandemonium," according to an after-action report released by the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, known as Cal OES. Just days after the Oakland Hills fire began on Oct. 20, 1991, the flames were under control. But 25 people were dead, 150 were injured and more than 3,000 homes were destroyed, making it one of the costliest disasters in U.S. history at the time."
The Oakland Hills fire of Oct. 20, 1991, burned intensely as brush desiccated by long-term drought and days of 90-degree heat ignited under powerful winds that cast embers and set shake roofs alight across hilly, narrow streets. Disorganized communication and mutual-aid responses delayed evacuations and left some units waiting 24 hours for orders while others freelanced, contributing to 25 deaths, 150 injuries and destruction of more than 3,000 homes. California enacted a 1993 law requiring Cal OES to complete after-action reports within 180 days to capture and share lessons. Since 2017, Cal OES has completed only six reports, with eighteen listed as in process, leaving many disasters without timely review.
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