Shortcuts to safety: Zone 15 - Cragmont

Learn the quickest ways to evacuate your neighborhood by foot

By Chris Cullander

In an emergency such as a wildfire or earthquake, it’s a good idea to know at least two ways to evacuate on foot in case there are accidents, traffic jams, or other road blockages that prevent you from getting out or using your vehicle. The best practice is to determine at least two escape routes near your home, and to walk them at least once so that you can find them when you are under stress (and in the dark if the streetlights are out).

Zonehaven is an online system to help first responders and community members prepare for and navigate emergency situations; the East Bay is divided into dozens of evacuations zones. (Do you know your zone?) The on-foot routes out of each zone include pathways as well as streets. Pathways are usually shortcuts that enable you to get to safety more quickly; they have signs on the street at their starting and ending points. Note that some pathways have stair-steps and many have handrails.

Berkeley Path Wanderers Association’s map of paths and streets in Berkeley is an excellent addition to your go-bag. The map includes the number of stair steps (if any) on each path. If the zoom level is set high enough, many of the paths (as well as street names) appear on the online ZoneHaven map and on Google Maps (note that some paths are not named nor is the number of steps indicated). While Google Maps does not include the Zonehaven zones, if you trace your route it will display the elevations.

Walking routes out of Berkeley’s zone 15 (Cragmont)

Zone 15 is the Cragmont neighborhood in the far northeast Berkeley Hills, west of Tilden Park and south of Marin Avenue.

  • If you live near the intersection of Hilldale Avenue and Forest Lane, Billie Jean Walk takes you to Euclid Avenue, and walking south on Euclid will bring you to Easter Way.  Easter Way goes west, crosses Cragmont Avenue, and ends at Spruce Street.

  • If your address is between 972 and 1030 Creston Road, consider taking Miller Path east from Creston Road to Grizzly Peak Blvd (note that Miller Path west has not been built yet.)

  • If you are near Creston Road and Latham Lane, Latham Walk is a good route from Creston to Grizzly Peak, then jog left on Grizzly Peak and right on Latham Lane, then right on Miller Avenue to Poppy Path, which will take you from Miller to Keeler Avenue. From there you have the option of taking Keeler Path to Sterling Avenue and onwards, or taking Poppy Lane north to Pinnacle Path. Pinnacle Path will take you to Regal Road. Going west on Regal leads to Easter Way, which in turn brings you to Euclid Avenue (and to Spruce Street, as per above).

Please note that while Spruce Street will take you close to Live Oak Park, which was the temporary evacuation point in Berkeley’s 2019 evacuation drill, this may not be the point that you are directed to by an AC Alert.

Note: The Berkeley Fire Department’s fire season community drill is on October 9 and 10. Registration is limited to 500, and any Berkeley resident is eligible to participate (not just residents of the Berkeley Hills).

Also, BPWA is leading 6 walks in the hills as part of its Escape from the Hills evacuation exercise on October 17, on the 30th anniversary of the disastrous Oakland-Berkeley hills firestorm of 1991.