A WINTER STORM PROBLEM THAT POSES A RISK FOR THE OAKLAND HILLS DURING FIRE SEASON. THAT EVENING, I AM AMA DAETZ. DAN: AND I AM DAN ASHLEY. THANKS FOR TUNING IN. IT IS THREATENING THE SAFETY OF AN OAKLAND NEIGHBORHOOD, NOT FAR FROM THE SITE OF THE 1981 FIRESTORM. AMA: STEPHANIE IS GETTING SOME ANSWERS. STEPHANIE: THIS AREA IS ALREADY IN THE HIGH FIRE DANGER ZONE. PAIR THAT WITH THE OVERGROWN BRUSH, THE WILDFIRE THREAT IS HIGH, YET WE FOLLOW THE REGIONAL WATER SUPPLY TO THE FIELD AND NEARBY FIRE HYDRANTS, AN AREA JUST A MILE AWAY FROM THE ORIGIN OF THIS DEADLIEST WILDFIRE. A MILE FROM ORIGIN OF OAKLAND DEADLIEST WILDFIRE, THE 1991 FIRESTORM, AND FIRE HAZARD IS LOOMING. YOU CAN'T SEE IT FROM THE PITCHER'S MOUND AT THE FIELD, OR FROM THE OUTFIELD, AS PARENTS WATCH THE GAMES. THE ONLY CLUE, THE GRASS ON THE NEWLY RENOVATED FIELD NOW STARTING TO AGREE. >> A LOT OF UNCERTAINTY IF THE CITY WILL EVER DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. STEPHANIE: HE IS THE LEAD PRESIDENT FOR THE NORTH AND SOUTH OAKLAND LITTLE LEAGUE. THE LEAGUE IS MADE UP OF 1000 KIDS USE THE FIELD OF RECREATIONAL SPORTS. >> BACKGROUND WILL LOOK LIKE THIS EVENTUALLY. THIS IS WHAT THE INFIELD AND OUTFIELD WILL LOOK LIKE IF WE DON'T WATER THE FIELD. STEPHANIE: THAT THE ONLY WATER SOURCE HAS BEEN CUT OFF. >> THE HAS BEEN WATER ON. IF THERE IS NO WATER, IT IS PRETTY MUCH UNUSABLE. STEPHANIE: THE CITY'S PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT CONFIRMED TO THE 18 TWO PIPE SUPPLYING WATER TO SEVERAL FIRE HYDRANTS IN THE FIELD WERE DAMAGED DURING THE ATMOSPHERIC RIVER ADDING IT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT SLIDING ACTIVITY ON THE HILL THAT CREATED LOGISTICAL CHALLENGES. HAVE YOU REACHED OUT TO THE CITY? >> WE HAVE. NO RESPONSE IS PROBABLY THE MOST ACCURATE. STEPHANIE: THAT WAS ABOUT FOUR MONTHS AGO. CALHOUN SAYS AFTER A HALF-DOZEN ATTEMPTS TO GET ANSWERS FROM THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT, IT IS STILL UNCLEAR WHEN THE WATER WILL BE TURNED BACK ON. THE 18 VISITED THE SITE AND FOUND THE PIPES AREN'T EVEN VISIBLE, THE FIRE LANE IS SEVERED. THE FIELD COORDINATOR IS CONCERNED AND BACKED UP TANK IN A HIGH FIRE RISK AREA IS AT RISK OF COLLAPSING DUE TO EROSION FROM THE STORMS. >> THEY NEED TO GET MOVING ON THIS. IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE RIGHT THING TO TURN THE WATER OFF, BUT WE CAN'T JUST LET IT SIT AND NOT TAKE ACTION. STEPHANIE: THIS OAKLAND CITY MEMBER REPRESENTS THE AREA HE SENSED SINCE THE HILLSIDE HAS ALREADY WEAKENED FROM THE STORMS PUBLIC WORKS DETERMINED KEEPING THE WATER OFF WOULD PREVENT A SAFETY HAZARD. >> WANT TO MAKE SURE IF THERE IS WATER FLOWING IN THE AREA, THAT THAT WATER THAT MAY BE COMING FROM THOSE PIPES DOESN'T ADD TO THE RISK, THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE WORKING ON NOW, IS DETERMINING WHETHER THERE IS POTENTIAL FOR LITERALLY SOME MUDSLIDE OR LANDSLIDE. STEPHANIE: THE IRONY IS PREVENTING THIS HAZARD, MAY CREATE ANOTHER ONE. A LARGE PORTION OF THE AREA AROUND THE NORTH OAKLAND REGIONAL SPORTS CENTER OF HIGHWAY 24, JUST NORTH OF THE CALDECOTT TUNNEL, IS WHAT CALFIRE DEFINES AS A HIGH OR VERY HIGH FIRE SEVERITY ZONE. TO PUT THE THREAT IN PERSPECTIVE, AMONG THE WAY IS THE MEMORIAL PARK. >> IT'S ACTUALLY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ENTIRE FIRESTORM AREA. STEPHANIE: THE CITY'S DEADLIEST WILDFIRE STARTED AS A GRASS FIRE NORTHEAST OF HER 24, NORTH OF THE CALDECOTT TUNNEL. . IT WAS EXTINGUISHED, THEN REIGNITED, AND IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR BURNING EMBERS AND OVERGROWN VEGETATION TO BLOW UP, PUSHING FLAMES ACROSS SEVERAL FREEWAYS, INCLUDING HIGHWAY 24. >> I WAS HERE IN THE 1980'S AND 1990'S WHEN THERE WERE ISSUES AROUND FIRE NOT HAVING ACCESS TO THE MEANS TO PUT THEM OUT. STEPHANIE: THE CITY CONFIRMED THE WATER SUPPLY IS ALSO CUT TO FIRE HYDRANTS ON THE PROPERTY. EXCEPT YOU CAN BARELY EVEN SEE THIS ONE COVERED IN OVERGROWN BRUSH. THE FIELD COORDINATOR SAYS HE IS CONCERNED THIS WILL IMPACT OTHER HYDRANTS ACROSS THE STREET. LAST YEAR THAT I TEAM REQUESTED THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HYDRANT INSPECTIONS CONDUCTED ALONG FULLY SIX ROADS THAT BURNED DOWN IN THE FIRESTORM. WE FOUND EAST BAY MOD ONLY CONDUCTED 17 INSPECTIONS. >> WE ARE IN BATCH A, AND IT COULD LEAD TO DISASTER. STEPHANIE: WILL YOU MAKE IT A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE THIS GETS RESOLVED? >> I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT IS GOING TO TAKE, BUT IT IS A PRIORITY THAT NEEDS TO GET DONE. STEPHANIE: THE PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT TOLD US THEY ARE LOOKING INTO ALTERNATIVE WAYS THEY CAN SOURCE WATER TO THE FIRE HYDRANTS AND CALDECOTT FIELD COORDINATING WITH BOTH EAST BAY
