"In this neighborhood, I think they are taking it seriously and that they are doing everything they can to make this place as safe as they can," says Oakland resident, Kaz Maniwa. His neighborhood burned in the 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm, an experience that has many aware of the constant wildfire threat. He believes the city is doing also a lot, like the annual home inspection by the Oakland Fire Department. But other says much more needs to be done.
"I think people who live in the Oakland Hills would like to see, because streets are narrow, would like to see the vegetation removed from the roadside so there is more clearance, so you can evacuate," says Joelle Fraser, the Firewise lead for the Oakland Firesafe Council. Firewise is a national organization that helps neighborhoods plan and prepare for wildfires.
"It's parking off the streets so emergency vehicle can get by. Because streets are so narrow, emergency vehicles need 20 feet of clearance on either side to get by," says Fraser.
"Because when it is smokey, when it is dark, when you are panicking, you need to know where the routes are," he said. "And not just the regular routes, but where the secondary routes are as well."
Newly elected Oakland City Councilmember Zac Unger suggests that residents better utilize their driveways and garages instead of parking on the streets.
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