The devastating fire which ravaged the Berkeley and Oakland Hills area of California on Oct. 20, 1991 is considered the second worst fire disaster in U.S. history (San Francisco 1906 earthquake and resulting fire rank number one). Statistics show how large this fire was: 3,354 homes, 456 apartments and over 2,000 automobiles were destroyed, 25 fatalities and 150 injured. Dollar damage was in excess of $1 billion.

The fire area encompassed some 1,600 acres of mostly hilly terrain, much of which was suffering from over five years of drought. In addition, near record temperatures, low humidity and high winds ( in excess of 65 mph) propelled the fire into a fire storm where temperatures reached an estimated 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Homes didn't catch fire, they literally exploded from the radiant heat. The asphalt streets became ablaze and even many fire hydrants melted.