Friday afternoon’s Keller Fire in Oakland was relatively small but it had a big impact. The fire burned 15 acres in the densely occupied Oakland Hills, threatening homes as it climbed uphill, eventually damaging two houses.
ABC7 News reporter Leslie Brinkley delved into how well the emergency alert system worked.
RELATED: Remaining evacuated residents in Oakland Hills fire allowed back home Sunday night
Oakland Hills resident Brady Tymn says his cellphone was lighting up from all of the alerts.
“I started getting alerts on my phone when I was in the car about the Oakland fire,” said Tymn.
The Keller Fire burned land next door to Tymn’s home in Oakland Friday. Those alerts told people to evacuate immediately with the system working as intended.
“I think it’s vital to have that kind of a service because it lets you know like I said I was not home so it alerted me to the fact that there was imminent danger in my neighborhood so I think it’s a great tool to have,” said Tymn.
Oakland’s Emergency Services Manager Jessica Feil pushed the button to send out the alerts Friday.