The Oakland firestorm of 1991, also known as the Tunnel Fire, was a large suburban wildland–urban interface conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley over the weekend of October 19–20, 1991, before being brought under full control on October 23. The official name of this incident by Cal Fire is the Tunnel Fire. It is also commonly referred to as the Oakland Hills firestorm or the East Bay Hills fire. The fire ultimately killed 25 people and injured 150 others. The 1,520 acres (620 ha) destroyed included 2,843 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss from the fire was estimated at $1.5 billion ($3.07 billion in 2025 dollars).
24 people die in a fire in Oakland, California
The Oakland firestorm of 1991, also known as the Tunnel Fire, was a large suburban wildland–urban interface conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and...
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Frequently Asked Questions
- What happened on October 21, 1991?
- The Oakland firestorm of 1991, also known as the Tunnel Fire, was a large suburban wildland–urban interface conflagration that occurred on the hillsides of northern Oakland, California, and southeastern Berkeley over the weekend of October 19–20, 1991, before being brought under full control on October 23. The official name of this incident by Cal Fire is the Tunnel Fire. It is also commonly referred to as the Oakland Hills firestorm or the East Bay Hills fire.
- Why is 24 people die in a fire in Oakland, California historically important?
- The 1,520 acres (620 ha) destroyed included 2,843 single-family dwellings and 437 apartment and condominium units. The economic loss from the fire was estimated at $1.5 billion ($3.07 billion in 2025 dollars).