Orinda earthquake, fire risks? (Sacramento, Oakland: house, living in, beaches)

[Planner1]

Having visited Orinda several times, I'm wondering how people feel about the earthquake and fire risks there, especially with a major quake along the Hayward fault overdue. It always struck me that in the aftermath of an earthquake, with broken gas mains and fires, getting out of Orinda might be difficult, especially since everyone else would be trying to do the same thing on a very limited number of roads. I remember reading about the huge Oakland hills fire way back when, and lots of people were trapped. Thoughts?

[Tallysmom]

Yeah. If you are so worried about something that MIGHT happen in your lifetime to a place you probably don't even live in... you need a better hobby.

Any one with any sense knows they should shelter in place, which is why you should have on hand canned foods, dry milk and drinkable water and medications for at least 5 days. And a hand crank can opener, since we won't have electricity. Flashlights and hand cranked radios are recommended. Guns are optional.

And thanks to my Matrix -- with a wonderful standard plug in the dashboard, our cell phones can stay charged and we can make coffee.... plain old dry milk works well as creamer.

Learn where your gas turn off is to your house, and learn how to turn it off.

And then live your life....

[clongirl]

I don't really dwell on these things. I've already been through several earthquakes including the big one in '89 when the City pretty much shut down and power was out for days. I'd honestly be more concerned about living through a hurricane, tornado, flooding, landslides or even those nasty blizzards and white outs you see year after year in the rest of the country. My house was built in the 60's and hey, it's still standing (with the exception of our old deck which had a 100 yr old oak tree crash right through it)

The California Geological Survey website ...they have all that info for you. I think that a lot of the Orinda area is actually on bedrock (I think this is supposed to have fewer problems?)

Just found this information on the Cal board! http://www.quake.ca.gov/gmaps/ap/ap_maps.htm

[mayorhaggar]

It's not any more quake prone than anywhere else in the Bay Area. 7 million people live in the entire region and we all deal with the risk.

As for fires, I would imagine it would have the same risk as any Californian suburban area up in the hills. Again lots of Californians choose to live in such semi-rural areas and deal with the risks, there should be plenty of information out there about what you can do to minimize the risk of fire on your own property, but it's up to your neighbors to do so as well.

[Zachj7]

Orinda has the same hazards as many other places. Everybody has possible hazards and you just have to prepare for them. Where I am living now, its severe storms and tornados. In Miami, its hurricanes. In Orinda its wildfires. Earthquakes? Thats pretty much all of coastal California and then some. Wildfires? That is pretty much all of California. If you are worried make preparations such as several ways out if a wildfire threatens and the right emergency supplies in your house. Thankfully with wild fires, you have some sort of warning. With earthquakes, you don't have any warning and all of California has to deal with it. Shouldn't dwell on such pessimistic things, just be prepared when the worst happens like anywhere.

[18Montclair]

Earthquakes are a regional issue and no city in the Bay Area is immune from potential catastrophe.

[tennis368fan]

The Association of Bay Area Governments, or ABAG, has create dozens of maps that depict disaster scenarios should they occur in the Bay Area. You can view them at Map Portal

I have also found the links to the specific maps that relate to wildfire and earthquake scenarios:

Fire Threat: " + theTitle + " (http://gis.abag.ca.gov/Website/Fire_Threat/viewer.htm - broken link)
Earthquake Threat By Fault Line Rupture: " + theTitle + " (http://gis.abag.ca.gov/Website/Shaking-Maps/viewer.htm - broken link)

If you were live near the highway in Orinda, I would imagine that it would be easier to leave the Bay Area by car by heading north to Sacramento than compared to people living in Oakland, who would have to deal with a congested I-80 and a damaged Caldecott Tunnel in the event of the Hayward Fault rupturing.

[CityOnDown5250]

That's why I love California...it's really a representation of the duality of life. On the one hand it has beautiful beaches, wondrous cities with breathtaking views, nice weather, etc. But then on the other side it's prone to earthquakes, wildfires, landslides, etc. It's up to you and what's really important to you at the end of the day.

[Hemlock140]

My Aunt has lived there 40 years, I lived in Lafayette for 20, never had anything but a few minor tremors, no damage of any kind. Just makes life a little more interesting.

[LisainCalifornia]

Originally Posted by clongirl

I don't really dwell on these things. I've already been through several earthquakes including the big one in '89 when the City pretty much shut down and power was out for days.[/url]

Hey, I was in the '89 earthquake too! We lived in the Haight at the time, but I was at work in a four story building in the inner sunset. That was some shaking! It seems like I don't meet many people that lived around here for that earthquake.