Hundreds of Oakland residents forced to evacuate from fast-moving fire

Hundreds of residents in Northern California were forced to evacuate on Friday, after a fast-moving fire burned at least seven homes, fire officials have said. 

No injuries or deaths have been reported so far, and a precise number of residents that were evacuated was not immediately available, but Oakland Fire Department spokesperson Michael Hunt estimated that the number was over 500.

Oakland fire officials said the fire quickly consumed 13 acres within three hours, but they have been able to stop it from advancing any further, the Associated Press reported. The fire is located near the 580 Freeway, which connects the San Francisco Bay Area to central California. 

The fire is in the same area as a 1991 fire that killed 25 people and destroyed 3,000 homes. The cause of the 2024 fire was not immediately clear. 

The blaze comes after forecasters issued red flag warnings for fire danger up and down the state, which remains in effect until Saturday. The warnings have been issued for both Northern and Southern California, including Los Angeles County. 

The fire also comes as firefighters in Los Angeles County seek to tame a brush fire in Hacienda Heights. But no evacuations have been ordered in Southern California. 

Both fires are occurring towards the end of fire season in California. Fire season typically runs from June or July in Northern California through the end of October or November. In Southern California, fire season is late spring through October, according to the Western Fire Chief Association.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.