VIDEO: At Berkeley's Fire Ready Fest, the city unveiled a new emergency system they hope will prepare them for any possible disasters.
On Sept. 17, 1923, the city of Berkeley was engulfed in a raging wildfire that destroyed more than 580 homes. It serves as a warning for the present day, but how much has really been learned?
Long before we blamed everything on climate change, hot, dry winds still blew across the Bay Area. And on that fateful day, 100 years ago, a massive wildfire roared out of Wildcat Canyon and into the city of Berkeley, destroying homes as far as the eye could see.
Old newsreel films show UC Berkeley students pitching in to help carry people's furniture and possessions to safety. Current resident John Aronovici said his grandmother's house survived, and she sheltered 30 people in her home that night, along with all their possessions and a parrot.