Danger signs in the Oakland hills as wildfire risks intensify, homeowners lose insurance
OAKLAND — Admiring East Oakland from a lookout point at Joaquin Miller Park, Dale Risden feels right at home, having lived just a block away from a...
OAKLAND — Admiring East Oakland from a lookout point at Joaquin Miller Park, Dale Risden feels right at home, having lived just a block away from an entrance to the park's 500 acres of redwood-laden open space his whole life. But he easily recalls a day nearly 32 years ago when, instead of city streets, all anyone could see from that observation point was a blanket of black smoke emanating from the tragic 1991 Oakland Hills firestorm, which killed 25 people and consumed more than 3,000 homes. Three decades later, thousands still reside in the hills, and it's a favorite local spot among hikers and cyclists.