Berkeley
Wildfire Guide
By Kate Rauch and Brian Krans
Preparation advice, evacuation guidance and answers to your questions about air quality, power outages and defending your property
The threat of catastrophic wildfire is nothing new in the Berkeley Hills. But hotter, drier weather linked to climate change means fires are more common and more destructive. Berkeleyside has created this guide to help you prepare, stay informed and keep safe during fire season.
Do not rely on this guide during an emergency. In an emergency, follow the instructions of AC Alerts, look up your evacuation zone number and stay tuned to local radio (1610 AM), TV and Nixle alerts for updated information.
The Berkeley Fire Department declares Extreme Fire Weather due to forecasted high winds and low humidity on the highest-risk Red Flag days. Since 1991, it says, every major fire threatening the East Bay has started under these conditions. During Extreme Fire Weather, Berkeley Fire strongly recommends you leave the hills — even before a fire starts.
If you see something that’s missing, outdated or inaccurate in this guide, or have a question that hasn’t been answered, please email us at editors@berkeleyside.org.
Evacuation
- What does a Red Flag Warning mean?
- Why should I preemptively relocate during Extreme Fire Weather and Diablo winds?
- How will I know when to evacuate?
- I’ve been ordered to evacuate. What should I do?
- What should I do if I get trapped during a fire?
- Am I legally required to evacuate? What if I want to protect my home?
- Who will be there to help during and after a wildfire?
Air quality
- What do wildfires have to do with air pollution? How do distant fires cause pollution in the Bay Area?
- How bad is wildfire smoke for my health?
- I’ve had COVID-19. What do I need to know about wildfire smoke?
- How can I protect myself from wildfire smoke? When do I need to wear a mask or stay indoors?
- Which masks best protect against wildfire smoke?
- How can I reduce the impact of wildfire smoke inside of my home?
- How can I monitor air quality in my neighborhood?
Property
- How do I protect my property against wildfire?
- Do defensible space regulations apply to my property?
- What does it mean to harden my home against fire?
- What help is available if I can’t afford the high costs of fire prevention?
- I rent. What should I know about wildfire safety?
- Should I use sprinklers or hose down my yard or deck during a fire? (No!)
- My fire insurance was canceled. What should I do?
Active fires
Evacuation zones
Real-time weather
Fire danger
Power outages
Air quality
Latest wildfire stories
‘A whole new ballgame’: Berkeley’s aggressive new plan to prevent wildfire
The city’s recently completed Community Wildfire Protection Plan guides a major expansion in strategies and resources to reduce fire risk.
Barriers on Grizzly Peak Boulevard turnouts are here to stay
The tree trunk blockades were installed in 2020 to prevent people from gathering and potentially sparking fires in the Berkeley and Oakland hills.
Berkeley’s fire chief confirmed to permanent position
David Sprague has led the department on an interim basis for nearly a year. He has worked for the department since 2001.
Tree debris? Berkeley will pick it up for free
The program to reduce wildfire risk has been newly expanded to all Berkeley neighborhoods, not just hillside high-risk fire zones.
The Berkeley Wildfire Guide is a collaboration between Berkeleyside and The Oaklandside. The guide — first published on July 29, 2021, and last updated on June 7, 2022 — was written by Kate Darby Rauch and Brian Krans, edited by Zac Farber and Jacob Simas, designed by Doug Ng and illustrated by T.L. Simons. You can read a version of the guide tailored for Oakland residents on The Oaklandside.
Information overload can be an issue as you plan for emergencies. That’s why we’ve compared information and vetted sources for you, with the aim of providing only credible and recent information from trusted sources.
Sources used in compiling this guide: CalFire, Berkeley Fire Department, Oakland Fire Department, FEMA, Alameda County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, National Interagency Fire Center, National Wildfire Coordinating Group, U.S. Department of Agriculture, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Centers for Disease Control, Pacific Gas & Electric, East Bay Municipal Utility District, East Bay Regional Park District, California Fire Safe Council, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, Community Emergency Alert Teams, State Council on Developmental Disabilities, University of California Cooperative Extension, Oakland Animal Services, Berkeley Disaster Preparedness Neighborhood Network, Hills Emergency Forum, Alameda County Office of Emergency Services, Oakland Firesafe Council, Diablo Firesafe Council, FIRESafe Marin, Public Health Institute, California Air Resources Board, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, American Red Cross, Kaiser Permanente, Mask Oakland, Zonehaven, ALERTWildfire, City of Mill Valley, City of Ross.
The image illustrating defensible space in the property section of this guide is adapted from the Wildfire Home Retrofit Guide (publication #SP-20-11) with permission from University of Nevada, Reno Extension and the Living With Fire Program.
