Another brush fire in the Upper-Class section of town, built into the hills.
The trees were dry.
They went up like matches.
An uncontrollable wall of flame swept down the hill.
It was so hot houses burst into flame spontaneously,
before they were even touched by the wall of fire.
Residents got into their cars to flee.
(Who would have guessed that the rush
would cause a traffic jam?)
Those who hesitated to run from their cars were toast.
In the end, every fireman in the Oakland area was
forced to make a stand at a large old hotel building.
If the fire a reached the hotel it might have detonated gas lined under it.
The lives of many people hung in the balance. Luckily, the fire was stopped.
Many lives were shattered that day. Like many other days in California.
It happens so often, I don't even listen to, or read, the 'news' reports any more.
It's pathetic!
After every fire the insurance companies pay to rebuild
the same kind of flammable sub-standard housing.
And people keep voting for Democrats and Republicans.
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