A drive through the narrow roads of the Oakland Hills shows how difficult it can be to evacuate during a natural disaster.
“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.
MORE: Neighbors share frustrations as Oakland Fire Department station closures go in effect
Oakland Fire Department stations 25 and 28 will close Monday, creating concern among neighbors about public safety in the hills.
“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.