Nearby Nature

The Elderly Trees Cut Power

After the storm passed through, the elderly trees had enough and wreaked havoc last night.  In the Merriewood area, one fell over and completely blocked the road while another dropped heavy loads down the block.

What happened to the power?  The transformer blew loudly, as all neighbors confirmed before 8pm last night.  Our Oakland firemen were on scene very quickly – a good thing since there were downed trees, live wires and even a snapped street light. Now let’s look at the repairs underway.

Merriewood - Road Closed

Roads Closed: Sometimes you welcome signs like “Road Closed Ahead,” when you know that the power is out and you really want it restored.  At least there was another egress down the hill.

Merriewood - Tree Cleanup

Crews On Site: There were crews hard at work, with these guys removing a huge tree lying at the Taurus and Merriewood intersection.  Another crew was working on the power lines above.  What a mess, but at least our Robin Hoods (sorry!) came to the rescue.

Merriewood - PG&E

Utility Fixes: You could hear trucks all night and the live wires were all removed by the morning.  This PG&E guy was probably pretty tired at this point.  Comcast also showed up – and I’m chomping at the bit for broadband access.

We’re not sure when the power will get restored near Thornhill Drive, but the outage felt like our “dry run” for a full-on disaster.  The neighbors were out and about, sharing what they knew, borrowing flashlights, and offering help.  It was nice to know we could rely on each other.

More info: Check out KRON4 coverage of the clean-up – click on “Crews Work to Clear Debris and Damage Left After Storm” in their video player.

Rains: So Far, So Good?

In our Montclair neighborhoods, we are seeing the expected overflows from a rainstorm.  So far, so good in my local hills…but yours may be behaving differently.

From this first image, you can see the smaller streams heading downhill.  Like other well-known spots in Montclair, Valley View always produces some overflows when it rains. This particular storm drain just can’t take the load.

Hills Overflow 1 - Oct 13, 2009

During more intense storms, the water simply follows gravity and cascades down the streets.  In this second image, you see the sheeting effect of the water. The temporary river is many times wider than the open ditch on the roadside, which only channels a small stream.

Hills Overflow 2 - Oct 13, 2009

While this flooding is typical, we’re not sure how everyone is faring in the hills. There could be water-logged spots that are now causing more severe damage, with continued storming. Meanwhile the crews are out in force, trying their best.

October 14th Update: We’re experiencing a power outage in the northern reaches of Montclair. Last night, a tree fell and left a Merriewood street light dangling in mid-air. Neighbors heard the transformer blow and still await power restoration. (This update comes from a blackberry.)

Mother Nature Paying A Visit

Mother Nature is arriving in all her glory, on Monday through Tuesday night.  With monsoon rains as well as winds that could top out at 45-60 MPH, take a little time to prepare for her arrival in the Oakland Hills.

Here is a copy of the Tuesday forecast from the National Weather Service, which says the storm isn’t Armageddon but still presents a real threat.  It turns out to be the vestiges of a typhoon, which hit Japan a few days ago.

NWS Forecast, 1181 Ft

What The National Weather Service Says

The National Weather Service (NWS) is blowing all three horns loudly about the intensity of stormy weather ahead, with several warnings.

  • High Wind Watch – NWS forecasts high winds from late Tuesday night through Wednesday night, with “wind speeds increasing to 20 to 40 MPH along the coast and in the hills by early Tuesday morning.  Gusts to 60 MPH are possible in these areas.”
  • Special Weather Statement – NWS said that “in the hills, rainfall amounts could range from 3 to 6 inches.”  They also warn against mud and debris flows, flooding of small streams, power outages from downed trees, and slippery driving conditions.
  • Hazardous Weather Outlook – NWS chimed in again about the blustery storm, forecasting “strong and gusty winds [which] are expected to continue through the day Tuesday and begin tapering off after midnight Tuesday night.”

What You Can Do Today Or Tomorrow

What does this mean for Montclarions?  Batten down the hatches, of course!

There are going to be high winds. You can expect a few elderly Pines to topple around here.  So make sure you are equipped for a power outage, whether that means batteries, flashlights, water, sustenance, etc.  You have been through this drill before, but it’s been a little while.

There are flood and mudslide risks. To prevent damage, take a look around your property before the storm hits us.  You might see some debris to clear from your home gutters, and do that now.  Or there might be some problem areas underfoot, so get a few sandbags or plastic sheets from the nearest fire station (or Shepherd Canyon’s Public Works, which usually has a good supply).

On the streets themselves, offer up your prayers.  We have plenty of creeks and old culverts and, well, you never know what will happen.  On a slightly more practical note, at least step into your street and check the drainages – and remove obvious blockages to protect your nearby castles.

If you live here, then you know its a small (or large) price to pay.  It’s not all bad, as Fire Season should be over now.

House Numbers Are Fire Safety Headache

In normal places, you don’t have to think very hard about your home’s street numbers and where to display them.  You put a set of numbers somewhere that’s visible from the street, and make sure the vegetation stays cleared from the numbers.  Then you’re all set for either first responders or everyday visitors.

In Montclair, this task just isn’t normal.  Around our homes, placing house numbers appropriately isn’t at all intuitive and has turned into a little guessing game.  As city fire inspectors  do their jobs, many residents have been notified to take care of their numbers and they are trying to meet standards.

Street Numbers Visible

Generally to be compliant, you need to display numbers that are close to the home as well as visible from the streets.  Fire Safety compliance rule #10 says you need to “provide street address numbers that are clearly visible from the roadside: minimum height 4 inches, in a contrasting color.”

“Making house numbers clear and visible helps [first responders] get to the right address as soon as possible.  The spread of a fire in a densely vegetated area can be very quick so every second counts,” declared District 4 Council Rep Jean Quan.

The main challenge relates to proper placement on homes. The ideal situation is to place numbers on the house and near the front door.  However many homes aren’t visible from the street, so numbers are attached to gates and fences which can be viewed properly from the street.  Both seem to be acceptable protocols.

“It’s smart to ask us to standardize – somewhat, depending on the physical characteristics of each property – the placement of house numbers, so they can protect us,”  said neighbor Sue Kahn, on the Montclair SIC’s Yahoo board.

For properties nestled between two streets, the degree of difficulty rises. “In the hills we often have two entrances on different streets and sometimes two addresses, it is very confusing,” explained Council Rep Quan.  “As someone who has walked to almost every house in my district I understand [the] concern.”

According to Montclarion John Rabold, “it’s clear to me that if a house’s legal street address is, say, 1234 Front Street but its back border is on Back Street, the visible address on the front of the house should be 1234 but any visible address on the back of the house should be 1234 Front Street.”

Keep on trying to comply. Today is another Red-Flag Day, a designation issued by the National Weather Service which means that high winds and low humidity continue to translate into high fire danger.  Anything we can do to protect our home fronts is serious business, so this house number talk isn’t mumbo-jumbo.

Relief, Only A Four-Hour Conflagration

Do you hear our collective sigh of relief?  Our first responders performed so well on the Orinda fire today, after brush fueled a rapidly-spreading fire near Fish Ranch Road.  This 30-acre or so fire was reported at 3pm and out by 7pm – and that’s a truly rapid response.

Fish Ranch Fire - Sept 2009

What or who showed up? Well, this Orinda fire was declared a two-alarmer.  According to a local fire chief, there were 120 personnel, 32 fire apparatus (we think this means trucks), two helicopters and four fixed-wing aircraft.  The final tally will be out soon enough.

When you see all the standard fire-fighting maneuvers underway, it still creates a queasy feeling.  After all, we are now living in the dead of Fire Season:  (1) it’s September; (2) it’s bone dry; (3) winds have kicked up; and (4) it’s been 18 years since the last big one.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed for now.  Although we’re definitely better prepared than ever, Ma Nature isn’t controllable – and we all know that!

More info:   The online video resources made it easy to keep tabs on this fire today.  Tip of the hat to KTVU which took great footage from their traffic copter – see this raw footage and later report.  Also the Oakland Tribune included photos and video.  The news is duplicated everywhere, with key links here to ABC7’s report and raw footage (great); CBS5’s article and video; and KRON’s video (requires search).