Fire Hydrants Found Buried, Inaccessible In Oakland Hills
OAKLAND (KPIX 5) -- Many fire hydrants in the Oakland hills are covered in so much mud and debris that firefighters would be hard pressed to use them in an emergency.
Representatives from the city said they hadn't gotten any reports about the buried hydrants.
But, neighbors in the area say they are worried that when the time comes, firefighters won't have easy access to all the hydrants.
"I'm concerned. I mean, it seems like it's not ready to be used if needed," Mason Brooks, who lives in the Oakland Hills said.
Fires in Oakland's hills are difficult to fight, as seen in the 1991 firestorm.
The Oakland Fire Department says their crews periodically clear weeds and shrubs, but those are only short term fixes.
Longer term solutions, like building retaining walls are outside of their jurisdiction.