Orinda earthquake, fire risks?

[Planner1]

Thanks, everyone. I'm well acquainted with the earthquake risks in California, having lived there for many years myself and gone through one major quake and numerous minor ones. I was just wondering about Orinda in particular because of the way it's set up, with relatively few "escape routes." In some communities, that makes the fire risk much greater. I'm guessing, for instance, that getting out of Walnut Creek or Concord would be a lot easier in the event of a wildfire (earthquake-caused or not), simply because there are more ways out (and the communities are less hilly). Just wondering.

[clongirl]

Originally Posted by LisainCalifornia

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.

Yeah...I was at SFState at the time, running wildly underneath Hensill Hall towards 19th Ave! I thought I was going mad since I couldn't clearly figure out what I was running from! Unbelievably, the crack is still there- never discovered. I remember that day so clearly. All of Stonestown was being evacuated. I remember listening to the radio on the way home and the information had been saying that the Bay Bridge had collapsed! I still get freaked out when there's even a little rumble. Fun times!

[Hemlock140]

Originally Posted by LisainCalifornia

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.

Here's another. I was working in Oakland then, at West Grand and Adeline, a couple of blocks from where the Cypress Freeway fell. I'll never forget that smell in the air.

I also worked in Oakland during the great fire of 1991. The OP is right to question fire, perhaps more than earthquakes for Orinda. You do have to pay attention to keeping the fuels away from the homes, if a wildfire did start there it could cause damage similar to the Oakland Hills fire, and be difficult to get away from. Still, the conditions that fed that 1991 fire are not as likely in Orinda, since it gets some protection from wind by the Oakland hills. That fire stopped above the Caldecott Tunnel or it would have gotten to Orinda.

[zugor]

This is an old post of mine. The two part article in the Express is worth the read in my opinion.

Here's a link to the USGS website with info on SF Bay Area earthquakes, especially the Hayward Fault, which they say could have a 6.8 - 7.0 quake any day now. Loma Prieta in 1989 was bad enough for me and the epicenter for it was 60+ miles south.

Quakes are generally followed by firestorms, that's what really did in SF in 1906.


October 21, 1868 Hayward Fault Earthquake

Here is a 2 part article from the East Bay Express 2005

East Bay Express | News | It's Not Our Fault

East Bay Express | News | It's Everybody's Fault

[Taboo2]

Originally Posted by 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?

The fact is that the Oakland fire had nothing to do with Earthquakes which means it can happen again at any moment, just like an earthquake can. I believe Oakland has made some improvements to the new streets they had to rebuild but aside from that, they really can't do much. Be prepared, wherever you live, for a disaster.

[LisainCalifornia]

Originally Posted by clongirl

Yeah...I was at SFState at the time, running wildly underneath Hensill Hall towards 19th Ave! I thought I was going mad since I couldn't clearly figure out what I was running from! Unbelievably, the crack is still there- never discovered. I remember that day so clearly. All of Stonestown was being evacuated. I remember listening to the radio on the way home and the information had been saying that the Bay Bridge had collapsed! I still get freaked out when there's even a little rumble. Fun times!

Hey, I use to work in Hensill Hall. I went to SFSU in the 1980s. After I graduated I got a job in a university office there for a while. At that time I didn't imagine I would be a Lamorinda mom, but here I am. I love the bay area--especially the east bay.