writers, and artists, many of whom work or attend
the University of California, Berkeley. In the years
following the fire, people wanted to memorialize the
event in a manner that reflected the unique charac-
ter of the residents and paid tribute to their losses.
Given this context, it was not surprising that a num-
ber of literary and visual remembrances were pub-
lished or displayed in local galleries. In addition, an
official memorial was created by the city, which fea-
tured tiles painted by local residents.
Impact The fire had a major impact on many as-
pects of urban life in the Oakland-Berkeley area and
California in general. The fatalities, injuries, and
losses of pets and possessions affected individual
families and neighborhoods. The rapidity with
which the fire moved across the residential district
resulted in improvements in many areas of emer-
gency response and in neighborhood strategies to
protect homes and key transportation links, such as
the reduction of flammable vegetation in selected
zones.Further Reading
Adler, Patricia, et al., eds.Fire in the Hills: A Collective
Remembrance. Berkeley, Calif.: Patricia Adler, 1992.
A poignant recollection through words and pho-
tographs of the Oakland Hills fire by residents,
rescue workers, authors, and artists.
Beebe, Grant S., and Philip N. Omi. “Wildland
Burning: The Perception of Risk.”Journal of For-
estr y91, no. 9 (1993): 19-24. A consideration of
fire-control policies, including public awareness
of residential protective strategies and the effects630 Oakland Hills fire The Nineties in America
Beyond the charred foreground stand the chimneys of homes destroyed in the 1991 Oakland Hills fire.(AP/Wide World Photos)