Sunday Brings a Port of Oakland Fire

Sunday afternoon sailors on the Oakland Estuary had an otherwise beautiful day of sailing marred by a serious-looking fire that broke out in the Port of Oakland. Reader Jeff Berman sent in the shot below, taken about 3 p.m. on Sunday, while sailing aboard his Tartan 4000 Maverick. The billowing black smoke was rising from near the shipping containers in the Port of Oakland.

While there was lots of dark smoke, the San Jose Mercury News reports that it was a relatively small fire from lithium batteries that was brought under control quickly, without damage to neighboring structures. While there was the usual good breeze on the Central Bay, the smoke by the Estuary was rising straight up, providing anyone racing insights into the conditions ahead. Prepare to set your sails accordingly.