A five-alarm brush fire named the Keller Fire broke out in Oakland, California, on Friday, prompting evacuation orders as it burned two homes. The blaze started in a home on Mountain Avenue before spreading to a grove of Eucalyptus trees, growing to 15 acres. The fire was 50% contained as of Saturday morning, with fire crews working aggressively to fully extinguish it. Two homes were impacted by flames, while dozens of others were threatened but not damaged. Evacuation orders were initially issued for Campus Drive and Crystal Ridge Court before expanding to surrounding areas. Oakland Mayor Sheng Thao urged residents to leave immediately to protect their health. One resident, Delane Sims, shared that her home was damaged, but her husband managed to escape unharmed after an explosion caused by the fire waking him up. Fire Chief Damon Covington stated that while the forward progress of the fire had been stopped, there was still much work to be done. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) confirmed the containment progress and continued efforts to control the blaze.
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