OAKLAND, Calif. (KRON) — Among the agencies sending crews to Los Angeles is the Oakland Fire Department. Twelve firefighters have been sent so far, and on Thursday, they’re sending a water tender.

Oakland Fire Chief Damon Covington shared this information with new members of the city council and also warned them about closing fire stations.

“There is not a fire season anymore. We’re in January, and we have one of the biggest fires that we’ve ever had in our state’s history,” Covington said. “Then we don’t have our full complement of fire service, three months ago, we could be looking the same way LA looks.”

A stark warning from Oakland’s Fire Chief to new members of the city council. Had the two fire stations closed earlier this week been shuttered during October’s Keller Fire, Oakland could have seen the same devastation Los Angeles is seeing now.

“If we hadn’t had a little luck and a tremendous amount of support from our region, it would have been catastrophic,” Covington said.

Covington says shuttering two fire stations to help close a $129 million budget deficit is a gamble the city cannot afford. “When we have our full complement, we’re rolling the dice. When we don’t have our full complement, we’re really playing Russian roulette,” he said.

The closure of stations 25 and 28 for the next 6 months is expected to save the city $5 million, but the closure means it will take fire crews longer to respond to emergencies.

“For a person is having a heart attack or a seizure or a structure fire, we could be 10, 12,15, minutes away, because now we’re coming from four districts away to get to that call,” Covington said.

Councilmember Rebecca Kaplan did offer some hope. In the next several weeks, the city will be receiving an unexpected 2.6 million dollars due to greater-than-expected revenue from events at the Oakland Arena and Coliseum last year.

“And so we will be working on an item to bring the Oakland share of that money back to protect and restore our fire services and our fire stations in Oakland,” Kaplan said.

But even if that unexpected event money is able to save one of those two fire stations, four more are slated to close in February.

High winds Tuesday evening fueled a fast-moving brush fire in the Altadena/Pasadena area that was burning 1,000 acres just before midnight

The Eaton fire was reported at 6:23 p.m., near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in the Eaton Canyon area, according to Cal Fire.

The Angeles National Forest said on X the fire had reached more than 200 acres by 7:12 p.m. with evacuations underway. It later grew to an estimated 1,000 acres, the Angeles National Forest said. The cause of the fire was not known and there was no containment as of early Wednesday.

Angeles National Forest crews were fighting the fire in cooperation with the Los Angles County and Pasadena fire departments.

Evacuations were ordered for residents in the area of Sierra Madre Boulevard from Altadena Drive to New York Drive and north of New York Drive.

Evacuation orders also extended into Sierra Madre for residents west of West Grove Street, north of Grand View Avenue, south of Skyland Drive and east of North Baldwin Avenue, Oakcrest Drive, Park Vista Drive, Stonehouse Road and Liliano Drive.

Residents of Arcadia are also ordered to evacuate if they live north of West Orange Grove Avenue, south of Monte Place, west of Santa Anita Avenue and east of Hermit Falls, East Grand View Avenue and Santa Anita Avenue.

Residents can evacuate to Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 Sepulveda Blvd or the Pasadena Convention Center at 300 E. Green St. Those with small animals can bring them to Agoura Animal Care Center at 29525 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills, and large animals can be brought to evacuation centers L.A. Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Dr. in Burbank, or Pierce College Equestrian Center, 6201 Winnetka Ave. in Woodland Hills.

All Saints Church in Pasadena, at 132 N. Euclid Ave., is also sheltering individuals affected by the Eaton Canyon fire.

Homes were burning in the 2600 block of Dove Creek Lane and 2200 block of Pinecrest Lane in Altadena, according to footage from Key News Network.

Footage from the scene showed nurses, firefighters, paramedics and others rushing hundreds of patients, some still in hospital beds, from nursing homes near the fire area. City buses arrived to move the patients to safety.

#EatonFire Mandatory Evacuations – LEAVE NOW

E/Altadena DrKinneloa Cyn RdOutpost laneGlen SpringsCoolidgeMirandaRooseveltVerandaKenclare@PasadenaFD @LASDHQ @PasadenaPD @PasadenaGov @LACOFD pic.twitter.com/bSFjc2wZmH

— Angeles National Forest (@Angeles_NF) January 8, 2025

#EatonFire. Addl MANDATORY Evacuations

FoxridgeCanyon CloseGrand Oak@PasadenaFD @@LACoFDPIO @LASDHQ @PasadenaGov

— Angeles National Forest (@Angeles_NF) January 8, 2025

The fire broke out as regional fire resources were already stretched thin by the 2,920-acre Palisades fire.

A windstorm hitting the area Tuesday generated gusts of up to 84 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains, increasing fire dangers in the region already dried out by a lack of precipitation.

School was canceled for all Pasadena Unified School District students Wednesday, Jan. 8, as the fire continues to grow. The city is deciding whether to declare a state of emergency because of the impacts of the fire, the school district said.

Similarly, all Arcadia Unified schools will be closed Wednesday because of extreme winds and potential fire hazards, the district said. Similar closures were announced around the region because of the Eaton and Palisades fires.

City News Service contributed to this story.

Oakland, CA – Today, City of Oakland leadership and community partners gathered to celebrate the reopening of the Main Library after completion of critical infrastructure upgrades to enhance the library's facilities and provide a better experience for patrons.

Renovations include new roof installation, skylight repair, critical electrical system upgrades, new boiler control system installation, auditorium heating and cooling system installation, and improvements to lighting, flooring and ceilings throughout the building.

"This is truly something to celebrate, the reopening of our wonderful Main Library! I congratulate the staff and our partners for this important project to make the Main Library a more comfortable place for everyone for years to come," said Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao. "Thank you to Oakland voters and the California State Library for making these crucial improvements possible."

“Libraries are such critical facilities for all Oaklanders, whether it’s children coming to story-time, adults reading the newspapers or borrowing the latest novels, and people engaging with a range of services and programs that the library hosts,” said Council President and District 2 Councilmember Nikki Fortunato Bas. “Such library services and programs are only possible when the facility’s electricity, heating, roof, and lighting are fixed and running efficiently. I’m proud to join this re-opening of our Main Public Library.”

“Public libraries are a wonderful resource for our residents, offering a safe space for learning and being,” said District 3 Councilmember Carroll Fife. “It is critical to improve and modernize our libraries so more members of our community can utilize and enjoy them. I’m excited that the necessary renovations to the Main Library have been completed successfully and thank everyone involved, particularly the City team, who helped secured the necessary grant funds for this work.”

"I am proud of the City staff and project partners who kept this important project on schedule and under budget," said Assistant City Administrator G. Harold Duffey. "The library is an incredibly important resource for our community members, and this project is an investment into the library's future."

“December 2nd was a momentous occasion for Oakland Public Library as we proudly reopened the doors of the Main Library following extensive infrastructure repairs,” said Director of Library Services Jamie Turbak. “Closing the Main Library for six months was no easy decision, as it serves as the central hub for our library system and is truly the heart of Oakland. Yet, this renovation was essential, representing more than just physical upgrades—it reflects our ongoing commitment to creating a safe, welcoming space for everyone.”

The Oakland Public Library secured funding for these critical repairs through a variety of sources. The California State Library's Building Forward Library Facilities Improvement Program awarded the Main Branch $4.2 million. To comply with the grant terms, the City of Oakland provided matching funds through Measure KK, as approved by the Oakland City Council in October 2023.

The Main Library will host an Open House to celebrate the reopening on February 22, 2025, 10 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

About the Oakland Public Library

The Oakland Public Library is a part of the City of Oakland in California and has been in existence since 1878. Locations include 16 neighborhood branches, a Main Library, a Second Start Adult Literacy Program, the Oakland Tool Lending Library, and the African American Museum and Library at Oakland (AAMLO). The Oakland Public Library empowers all people to explore, connect, and grow. Oaklandlibrary.org

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Posted: December 12th, 2024 11:30 AM

Since the Palisades Fire kicked off the storm of destructive blazes tearing across parts of Los Angeles County earlier this week, officials have faced tough questions about millions of dollars in recent budget cuts to the city's fire department.

The city's fire commission even sent a report last month that said the Los Angeles Fire Department's ability to respond to large-scale emergencies had been significantly diminished by the cuts.

Similar concerns have been voiced in Oakland where the fire department is also facing cuts due to the city's budget troubles.

On Monday, the day before the Palisades Fire broke out in Los Angeles, the Oakland Fire Department temporarily shut down Stations 28 and 25 as part of the city's efforts to address a $130 million budget deficit.

Oakland hills residents were stunned to learn that Fire Station 28 on Grass Valley Road -- which was instrumental in fighting the Keller Fire in October -- had been temporarily shuttered. The station closures have left many locals in fear of longer emergency response times and increased risks in an area prone to fire hazards.

Dr. John Cooke, who lives nearby and uses a wheelchair, learned of the closure Friday as he arrived to show his appreciation for the fire fighters.

"I was going to ask them how to support keeping this station open," he said. When he was informed it had already closed, he replied, "I had no idea."

For Cooke, the closure is particularly worrisome as he hears stories from Southern California of residents who struggled to evacuate during wildfires.

When asked if it scared him, Cooke said, "Yes, it does. You have to come into the valley." He said he was concerned that it could take too long for first-responders to get to him in an emergency.

The closures are expected to result in increased emergency response times, a reality that Local 55 Union President Seth Olyer says could have dire consequences.

"Folks in the affected districts are going to be waiting double or triple the amount of time when their heart stops or their house is on fire," Olyer explained.

Even Oakland's fire chief acknowledged the critical role these stations played during the Keller Fire. Crews from both Station 28 and Station 25 were among the first responders to the blaze as it threatened homes on Campus Drive.

Olyer emphasized that without the quick action of the firefighters from those two station, the outcome could have been catastrophic.

"Take even two engines out of the initial response and the amount of work they did initially made the difference between saving houses and witnessing tens of millions in losses — or even loss of life," he said.

Residents like Dennis Adams, who lives nearby, are deeply concerned. He pointed out that the area near Station 28 is a frequent dumping ground for abandoned cars that are often set on fire.

"The difference between a fire spreading versus being put out down the street could be this firehouse being open or not," Adams said.

Adams and other residents are urging city officials to reverse the decision. Newly elected City Councilmember Ken Houston, who represents District 7 where Station 28 is located, said he is committed to finding the funds to reopen it.

"They said it would be closed for a five-to-six month period, then reopen after closing another station," Houston explained. "That's not good enough for me. Cut it in half. Let's open it back up in three months. I'm going to push the envelope."

Houston has been in contact with Interim Mayor Kevin Jenkins, who he said shares his commitment to reopening the station as soon as possible. In the meantime, Houston has taken personal action to ensure the safety of the vacant station, which has already been targeted by looters.

"You've got a new sheriff in town," Houston declared. "I'm going to roll through myself. This gives me hope."