To prepare for the 2011 fire season, County Mayor Michael D. Antonovich announced that the Board of Supervisors authorized a contract to lease two CL-415 SuperScoopers fire-fighting aircraft from the Government of Quebec for use by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
“To ensure our County Fire Department has the tools they need to be fully prepared for fire season, these vital aircraft have been requested to supplement the Department’s water-dropping helicopters and other fire-suppression machinery,” said Antonovich.
SuperScoopers are a fixed-wing aircraft that can carry up to 1,620 gallons of water and takes only 12 seconds to scoop water from a lake and inject it with fire-resistant foam – a combination up to 3 times more effective than water alone. They can be airborne in as little as five minutes and fly three hours before refueling. The SuperScoopers are expected to arrive on Monday, September 1, 2011, and will be placed into service through November 31, 2011.
The LA Times (our new BFF) front-pages a story about miscalculations about the Station Fire -- apparently early on nobody expected it to get as big as it did, so not all possible resources were deployed. A few lessons were learned and some procedural changes will be made -- but it's frustrating how close it was to not being a major fire at all!
Alice Wessen of JPL (and so much more) sends us a link to this image of the Station Fire zone:
This image, captured by the Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer (ASTER) on NASA’s Terra
satellite on September 6, shows the extent of the burned area. The
newly charred land is black in this false-color image, which was made
with near infrared light. Plants are dark red, and man-made surfaces,
particularly the dense urban centers of Pasadena and Burbank, are blue
and white.
The burned area covers much of the San Gabriel Mountains, edging
down into residential areas northwest of Pasadena. Smoke rolls off the
eastern edge of the burned land. The fire was still burning, just over
50 percent contained when the image was taken. According to the
incident report from September 8, the fire was pushing east into forest
with no recorded fire history. The fire had previously burned through
tall, thick forest that had not seen fire in the past 40 years.
The image also illustrates why fighting the Station fire has been so
difficult. The fire burned over steep mountains riddled with canyons.
The rugged landscape looks wrinkled, particularly in the burned area
where plants no longer soften the ridgelines and canyons. The steep
terrain and the fire’s extreme, unpredictable behavior led to the death
of two firefighters. Nine other firefighters have been injured fighting
the fire, reported the Los Angeles Times.
South and east of the fire, the Mount Wilson Communication Facility
and Observatory was still surrounded by unburned forest. The historic,
105-year-old observatory hosts two large telescopes, once the world’s
largest, and other instruments to study the Sun and the Universe
beyond. Mount Wilson also contains communications towers that serve
much of the Los Angeles region. The image shows that the fire
approached the facility on two sides, but left the forest around the
observatory intact.
The Altadena Historical Society (of which we are members) has a great story in their Sept. newsletter on fires in 1934 and 1935, which endangered La Vina and the Cobb Estate (click to get the pdf version).
Jane Brackman of the Historical Society says:
Every once in a while
Altadena Historical Society sends out information on cool stuff from
their files. No membership is required. If you would like to receive
the email attachments let Jane Brackman know. Her email is ahspresident@earthlink.net
BTW– the photograph of the Cobb home featured in the attachment is one
of a very few that exist. If any readers have a picture of the house
tucked away in their family papers, please please please let us know.
And some Edison tips for the home (thx Gino Sund):
Wildfire Safety Tips
With
nightfall approaching the threat of electric service interruption could
occur at any time in the wildfire areas, SCE reminds its customers to
keep flashlights handy in the event of a service interruption.
Do not rely on candles for lighting during a power outage because they could pose a fire hazard; please use flashlights.
Do not rely on candles for lighting during a power outage because they could pose a fire hazard; please use flashlights.
Check on the safety of family members and neighbors, especially those dependent on power for medical equipment.
If
you see downed lines, please call SCE and report it to the police and
fire departments immediately. Never touch or try to move a downed power
line.
If
possible, stay away from areas severely impacted by the fire damage.
Traffic signals could be inoperative, poles and power lines could be
blocking streets and utility crews could be in the area making repairs.
If
you are without electrical service in your home or business, leave one
light switch in the “on” position to serve as a signal when electrical
service has been restored. This will help limit stress on the
electrical system when SCE restores service.
Do
not cook indoors with charcoal or other fossil fuels not meant for
indoor use. They could create deadly fumes if used indoors.
Turn off and unplug any unnecessary electrical equipment, especially sensitive electronic equipment.
Sunday, 6 Sep 09, 9:55 am PDT - The plan for the day, which I
got from several Helena Hotshots, is for "plumbing" the fire break
installed over the last couple of days along the northern perimeter of
Mount Wilson and heading out Newcomb's Ridge to the powerlines
supplying communities well east of Pasadena. About six miles of fire
hose, delivered by helicopter slings, will be laid along this line in
preparation for the back fire that is likely to be set today or
tomorrow on the northside of the break.
The air tankers are staging again now, most likely to finish
painting fire retardant along the south side of the fire break to
discourage the fire from jumping the break. Once again, this is all
being done to keep the fire out of Big Santa Anita Canyon and
threatening Monrovia and Sierra Madre. Mount Wilson is, of course, a
beneficiary of this amazing effort.
Wife's home, so catch up will be sporadic, altho' comments are still wide open.
A note to begin:
FREE ACUPUNCTURE STRESS RELIEF AND LUNG SUPPORT TREATMENT
WHAT:
As a 10-year Altadena resident and a practicing acupuncturist, I would
like to offer free stress relief and lung support treatments to those
who could use a boost to help them deal with the trauma, both physical
and emotional, of the Station fire.
The treatment is a silent, sitting, mostly ear acupuncture protocol in a group setting.
WHEN: Today, Thursday, September 3, until 6:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 8 through Thursday, September 10 from 10 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Saturday, September 12 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
HOW: Just call the office in Arcadia at 626-446-5900, to let us know when to expect you. All comers will be treated on a first call, first served basis as the office can accommodate a few people at a time.
WHERE: Barbara Burns, Licensed Acupuncturist's office is in Arcadia in the two story brick buildiing on the corner of Oakwood and Foothill, one block east of Santa Anita and one block north of the 210 Freeway.
We look forward to seeing you soon.
--------
UPDATE 10:30 PM
Community safety meeting: Please check the comments for reports from folks who attended the community meeting at Pas Naz church this evening.
Chantry Flats: here's the official Forest Service communique:
Recently my office has been contacted by concerned permit holders and
recreationists regarding misinformation on our suppression efforts
around Chantry Flats, Big Santa Anita Recreation Residence Tract,
Sturdevant Camp, and Adams Pack Station.
The Angeles National Forest has a long proud history of preserving our
natural, cultural, and historical resources. These efforts will
continue. As you are well aware, the Station Fire has been very
unpredictable and intense. Fire managers will engage the fire when it
is safe to do so and they will disengage when it is not safe for
firefighters. In 2006, we lost 5 fire fighters in the Esperanza fire in
San Bernardino trying to protect a structure. We will not endanger any
firefighter to protect property. We value our permit holders and the
resources in the forest but none is as important as the lives of our
firefighters or citizens.
I appreciate your concern and input. I assure you we will continue to
work safely to contain and control this fire. Let me assure you that
the Forest Service has no intention to let these historic and popular
recreation areas burn. As they have throughout the Station Fire, the
Incident Management Team will continue to use all defensive tactics and
suppression resources available to fight fire aggressively and safely.
The team is actively engaged in suppression activities with the goal of
keeping the fire away from Santa Anita Canyon and the Foothill
communities.
Altadena, the red-headed stepchild of the foothills:Monica Hubbard points out that they seemed to remember us in THIS alert:
Google News Alert for: Altadena
Free anger management classes for victims of the Station Fire
Examiner.com
If you need to manage your anger regarding the Station Fire and you live
in the following cities: Tujunga, Acton, Altadena, Pasadena,
Sierra Madre, Sunland, ...
Just received from Ann Erdman, Pasadena's public information officer:
All Pasadena residents are advised to avoid outside activity, run air
filters or air conditioners that don’t draw in outside air, monitor
fire and smoke status via local news organizations and be prepared to
leave homes if conditions change.
If the fire reaches antennas on Mt. Wilson and damages TV and radio
transmission equipment, the Pasadena Fire Department advises residents
who don’t have cable to get updates on news affecting Pasadena from the
city’s website
(www.cityofpasadena.net
). Updates on nearby fires also can be found at
http://inciweb.org/incident/1856 and
http://www.lacanadaflintridge.com.
As of Sunday morning, residents of the Florecita neighborhood in Pasadena
were notified that they may return to their homes. However, if
conditions change and evacuation orders are issued by local authorities,
residents are asked to comply with the orders to prevent loss of life and
ensure that firefighting efforts are not compromised.
The Pasadena Fire Department has had 10 personnel assigned to the Station
Fire since last Friday.
Smoke and ash from the Station Fire are still heavy today, so everyone is
advised by the Pasadena Public Health Department to avoid outside
activity, especially elderly residents, children, pregnant women and
people who have heart or respiratory health issues. Schools that
are in session, after-school programs and sports organizations for
children (such as Little League) are advised to cancel outdoor practices
in areas where there is visible smoke, soot or ash, or where there is an
odor of smoke. Outdoor activities should be suspended until
conditions improve.
The following recommendations from Pasadena Public Health
Department will help residents protect themselves and their families from
harmful effects of bad air quality:
* If outdoor air is bad, try to keep indoor air as clean as possible by
keeping windows and doors closed. Air conditioners that
re-circulate air within the home can help filter out harmful particles.
* Avoid using air conditioning units that only draw in air from the
outside or that do not have a re-circulating option. Residents
should check the filters on their air conditioners and replace them
regularly. Indoor air filtration devices with HEPA filters can
further reduce the level of particles that circulate indoors. * If it is too hot during the day to keep doors or windows closed and you
do not have an air conditioning unit that re-circulates indoor air,
consider going to an air conditioned public place, such as a library or
shopping center, to stay cool and protect yourself from harmful air.
* Do not use wood-burning or gas fireplaces, candles and vacuums.
Use damp cloths to clean dusty indoor surfaces. Do not smoke. * If you have symptoms of lung or heart disease that may be related to
smoke exposure, including severe coughing, shortness of breath,
difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, palpitations,
nausea or unusual fatigue or lightheadedness, contact your physician
immediately or go to an urgent care center. * When smoke is heavy for a prolonged period of time, fine particles can
build up indoors even though you may not be able to see them.
Wearing a mask may prevent exposures to large particles. However,
most masks do not prevent exposure to fine particles and toxic gases,
which may be more dangerous to your health.
All Pasadena residents and businesses should review their personal,
family and workplace emergency plans and make sure their emergency
preparedness kits are up to date. More information about emergency
preparedness can be found at
www.cityofpasadena.net/disaster; more information about preventing
the health impacts of fire-related smoke can be found at
www.aqmd.gov/ej/cac/wildfire_safety_tips.htm.
Due to hot temperatures, possible gusty winds and low humidity expected
to fall below 10 percent for several hours today, the National Weather
Service has issued a red flag warning – a higher risk of wildfires –
that will be in effect in the moountains of Los Angeles County until 9
p.m. tonight.
Also breaking: news that fire officials are looking at arson as the cause of the Station Fire. More on this as it develops.
In response to countless reports from constituents on the lack of timely, accurate and user-friendly incident updates on County websites about evacuations, road closures, shelters, transit schedules and school closures, Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich has requested a thorough review of the County’s response to the Station Fire to ensure that the information posted on the County’s website about the fires is real-time and accurate, in addition to reviewing the effectiveness and failures of the County’s mass emergency notification system.
“Information on evacuation orders and evacuation shelters has not been readily available to the impacted communities,” said Antonovich. “Several impacted cities, provided hourly updates to the communities they serve via their websites and phone notification systems. The County’s Public Information Office has the capability to provide the same level of service to its residents but failed to do so during this incident.”
Antonovich also called for a review of the County’s new mass emergency notification system which sent an erroneous evacuation order to the community of La Crescenta.
OK, our post for today was so long that it was freaking out Typepad, so we decided to break it here. So read the previous post and its comments to get today's full picture.
For some reason, our dates were all screwed up. At the same time I was trying to fix that, we were being interviewed by the Pasadena Weekly and the wife called. Lucky we studied juggling!
__________
UPDATE 10:30 PM
Feel like we've been beaten three times over, so we're trying to put this to bed. Got a report of lights and activity on Altadena Dr. east of Lake around 10 PM -- sheriffs know nothing, so it may be fire dept. -- unfortunately, we can't get out to check it personally (kids are in bed, finally!)
Just wanted to share this screen capture from our statistics page today:
This is as of 10:30 tonight (Typepad's day starts at 0:00 GMT, which we think is 5 PM Altadena time).
The peak is Monday's (today's) stats, which is 21,426 page views. Even five hours worth of tomorrow's stats is about ten times what our old daily average was. We are overwhelmed, and we thank you, the community of those who live in and love Altadena, for your support over these past few days.
UPDATE 10 PM
Battle of Mt. Wilson: from their news site:
Monday, 31 Aug 09, 5:30 pm PDT - As I mentioned earlier, we have
lost the new backup power to the mountain. In anticipation of a
possible loss of all power to the Observatory, where the MWO webserver
is located, this update site will be relocated to
http://joy.chara.gsu.edu/CHARA/fire.php. I will continue posting
material on the current server, but if and when it goes dark, please
make a note now to try the other URL if you are interested in keeping
in touch with this situation from our perspective. In this event, the
Towercam will also go dark. In the meantime, please keep coming to this
site.
We just checked the URL -- the present URL works, the new one says "page not found," but we can assume it will be activated if Mt. Wilson's server goes kerflooey.
Today's Whisky Tango Foxtrot moment: Somebody called (that's how it usually starts). They wanted an ad. Not interested in a display ad. They wanted a classified ad. For a rental property. Is there anything resembling a classified ad here, or has our mind finally gone?
UPDATE 9:45 PM
Back again: Thanks for your indulgence. Had a wonderful visit with Dr. Mrs. Altadenablog, who is healing quite nicely. We saw the middle of the Sound of Music, up until the Nazi flag shows up. Our family does Sound of Music like some people do Rocky Horror.
Drove the length of Loma Alta on the way home, and it's grand to see -- no roadblocks, no blinking lights, just some firemen from Ventura County shaking hands, packing up, and driving away. Thank you, guys!!!
Also just called the sheriff's station: as of 9:45 this evening, the only area under mandatory evacuation is Chaney Trail, and there is a deputy there keeping people out.
And, checking the comments, you people rock in terms of getting information pinned down accurately and getting it out there! Thank you! This blog now practically runs itself!
UPDATE 3:45 PM
Life goes on: scanner says they're looking for an armed robber about Glen Rose and Altadena Dr.
The official word: Town council Chair Gino Sund writes:
Just got off the phone from the Supervisor. The houses North of Loma
Alta from Fair Oaks East to Lake Ave are still under a mandatory
evacuation. The mandatory evacuation for houses north of Loma
Alta from Fair Oaks West to the Arroyo has been lifted.
School's still out: Parents of Odyssey Charter School students received an email that the start of school has been delayed to Sept. 8.
The Battle for Mt. Wilson: Retreat: The latest from the Mt. Wilson fire blog -- not good:
Monday, 31 Aug 09, 2:46 pm PDT - CHARA Array operator PJ
Goldfinger reported that at about 2:00 pm she monitored an LA County
Sheriffs Department transmission advising a pullout from Red Box, the
major staging area near the mountain. I just spoke with Sherry Roman,
Public Affairs Officer of the Angeles National Forest. She could give no
updates as to the status of the fire in the Mount Wilson vicinity except
that the USFS still considers that passage of fire across Mount Wilson is
imminent and will be fought aerially rather than with ground personnel.
Once the fire is through the area, they can assess the damage by air
after the event before they can send in ground personnel. She also
confirmed what PJ's monitoring implied, that firefighters have been
removed from Red Box.
OK, we are on our way to making our daily hospital visit at 4 PM. Comments are open, and we will be back in the saddle sometime late this evening. Godspeed, and be safe!
UPDATE 2:45 PM
Another source for Mt. Wilson: From a reader:
Just wanted to say that, when the Mt Wilson camera goes down, you can tell if things are still OK by clicking on
Mandatory evacuations are in place (as of 8 PM Sat.) at the Meadows; all residences north of Loma Alta Dr. between Lake Ave. and Canyon Crest, above JPL including Camp Chiquita. We know that voluntary evacs are in place in several areas around town, including West Altadena Dr. and the Florecita area in northwest Pasadena.
Evacuation centers are established at La Canada High School (evac and shelter), 4463 Oak Grove Dr. LCF; Jackson Elementary (evac only) 593 W. Woodbury, Altadena; and Crescenta Valley High School (evac only), 2290 Community Ave., La Crescenta. We have heard on the ground that Jackson Elementary is locked up, but haven't had a chance to check it out ourselves, so caveat emptor.
As we go through the day, we urge you to check out the Comments section here, too, as all our wonderful readers are a font of good information.
A word before we begin: please check ALL media resources regarding this fire -- TV, radio (KFWB 980 AM, KNX 1070, KPCC 89.3 FM), print, and online. We're just one guy who's juggling this with two special needs kids and a wife in the hospital, hardly optimal conditions! TV has not been as big a player in this fire as we'd hoped, probably because no celebrities are in danger of being harmed. Use everything you've got!
Also: we probably can't respond to specific email requests (where do I put my animals, I'm on vacation and is my neighborhood safe, etc.) Things are coming in hard and fast. If you slog through the posts and comments over the last few days, you'll probably find what you're looking for!
Prayers go out to our firefighters, those displaced, and those worried sick.
Sharing some video from frequent commenter Isaac Garcia of the DC-10 making a drop on Saturday.
--------
---------
UPDATE 8:20
Just in from the LA Times (thx Monica Hubbard)
Station fire continues to grow to 42,500 acres, destroys 18 homes, threatens TV transmitters
Eighteen homes have now been destroyed by the Station fire, which has
burned 42,500 acres in the Angeles National Forest, fire officials said
Sunday evening.
The blaze is 5% contained. It continues to threaten Mt. Wilson, home to
a 105-year-old observatory and transmitters used by television and
radio stations, cellphone providers and numerous law-enforcement
agencies, including the FBI, CIA and the Secret Service.
The fire is pushing toward the Acton area to the north and Sunland to
the west. Firefighters were able to stop the fire from approaching
homes in Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta.
Two TV stations said tonight that their transmitters are threatened by
the Station fire, which is burning near the communications center atop
Mt. Wilson.
New firefighter deployments: Strike teams forming for Mt. Lowe: Bill Westphal says as of 5 PM firefighter strike teams are forming to tackle the Mt. Lowe motorway, where fire has crossed several spots. Firefighters are also testing hydrant water pressure on the Skyview cul de sac above Loma Alta.
Mt. Wilson in harm's way: It's not our policy to cut and paste other folk's news stories (they did the work, they deserve the eyeball count, that's what links are for!) but we're making an exception here: LA Times story, filed 5:42 PM tonight:
Station fire likely to hit historic Mt. Wilson observatory, fire officials say August 30, 2009 | 5:42 pm The fire burning in Angeles National Forest is approaching the historic solar observatory and television transmission towers atop Mt. Wilson, according to Los Angeles County fire officials.
The communications towers house transmitters for every major television station in Los Angeles.
“We expect it to get there in the next two to four hours,” said county fire Capt. Mark Savage.
Crews were clearing brush around the structures, but fire officials were not sure if they could leave personnel on the mountain to fight the flames because of the danger and limited escape routes. The fire is less than two miles away.
“It’s a serious situation,” said Bob Shindelar, operations branch director of California Incident Management Team 5. “Is the observatory going to make it? We’re doing everything in our power. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it is impacted by fire today or tomorrow.” -- Joe Mozingo
which includes chatter from the water-dropping choppers. Will definitely check it out tomorrow.
This link will lead you to the Alert LA County Emergency web page, where you can register your cell phone number, VOIP phone number, and email address to be notified in case of emergency:
UPDATE 7:30 PM: Back from a necessary pool break with the children, who are now more controllable! Thanks to all of you feeding information into the comments section -- we are so grateful for our readers and reporters, helping keep the community informed.
It was kind of a working break -- we were in the Floricita area, and it was like Saigon, 1974 -- mulitple choppers overhead and firefighting tankers, taking on the hillsides and Mt. Wilson. This is a major effort, and easily the biggest story of 2009.
Greg Garner took this picture of a phoscheck drop on Mt. Wilson.
We're going through the emails, and will be filling in periodically through the night.
UPDATE 3 PM: Only here for a few minutes -- the kids have been invited to a pool party, and REALLY need to get out of the house -- will have fuller updates in the evening. However, it is grand to see the sky clearing and he helicopters making their drops. Woo-hoo!
Also, we have lifted the moderation on comments (we went to moderation because there was an attack of libelous comments awhile back). The comments and information they share have been so valuable that we want 'em out ASAP. So please, the comment boards are for fire information only (compliments are nice, too!) Anybody who wants to namecall, spam, go off-topic, or troll (and we've already had one of those today) will be erased as soon as we find them and banned for life without possibility of parole, as we are not in a mood for nonsense today.
The bullet: no new evacs in Altadena, and the mandatory evacuation areas remain so now. Alice Wesson of the Chaney Trail fire council says she observed a flareup around Zorthian ranch, so we're not in the clear yet.
Meantime, here are members of the Altadena Town Council posing with some pol earlier today.
Evacuation Center: Lonnee Hamilton checked it out:
UPDATE: I drove by at 10:30pm last night. Jackson Elementary is
closed. I drove to La Canada High School and spoke directly with the
Red Cross public information officer there. He told me that La Canada
High School is the evacuation center for Altadena.
La Canada High School seemed very well equipped. The Red Cross has already set up, along with the Humane Society.
I spoke with Humane Society worker Bob Fiddler, and the one thing he
asked is that if people do need to evacuate with their pets, it's
better to take the pets directly to the Pasadena Humane Society rather
than to the evacuation center.
The pets have to sit in crates under the shade at the evacuation
centers until they can get them to the Humane Society. It's more
comfortable for the pets to just be dropped off at the Society than
spend time sitting in a crate.
If you have other volunteer info to add, please do so here: http://rosecityobamaworks.ning.com/forum/topics/la-canada-altadena-...
UPDATE 10 AM: Sorry, folks, but we will be out of pocket for several hours to make a hospital visit. Please continue to send us your news and observations -- we'll play a mighty game of catch-up when we return. And make use of all your other media resources -- radio (rumor has it KFI 640 will be covering fires today), TV (if some celebrity's in danger of getting singed), and the PSN and LATimes newspaper sites, which are very good. We'll be using those plus scanner in the interim.
UPDATE: 9:45 AM: We usually make a special post when we've hit a significant number of page views. We've hit 175,000 today -- almost 10,000 since midnight GMT Saturday. This is it. Moving on ...
Sitrep around town: Monica Hubbard has sent this compilation from the newsgroups:
1. I drove over to Lincoln and Loma Alta this morning. Per the
Sherriff, no further activity in The Meadows last night. Very smoky
outside this morning. Still not allowing people into The Meadows. Per
a neighbor, all but a skeleton crew of firefighters pulled out of The
Meadows at 7:30 p.m. (Not verified with the Fire Department.) Per a
neighbor, the fire did come into The Meadows on the vacant land on the
west of Risinghill Road at the top of the road but was extinguished by
the flame retardant that was dropped repeatedly over the hill. Also,
per a neighbor, Theo's house at the very top of Risinghill was
protected by fire crews. If anyone has other updates, please email to
me.
Thanks,
Meadows FireSafe Council (Greg Stanton)
2. The sheriff is stationed at Loma Alta and Glenrose. They said they
have orders-if you walk, bike, or drive past them, they have orders not
to let you back in. For your own safety. So if you have to get
something-take your exit pack with you. Eric McCalla
3. They are not making any exceptions. The deputies at the corner of
Fair Oaks and Loma Alta can see my front door and they said if I pass
them I can't go back. David Wilson
Air power: The scanner-monitoring Tom Rosebrook says that, due to smoke, air attack will not begin until at least 10 AM. Rumor has it that a superscooper will be on its way today from Ontario, CA, to protect Mt. Wilson.
Two notes for evacuees: We have a small but fenced yard and can
put up pets and small livestock, goats, chickens, etc. We also have a
spare Queen bed and sofa if you need a place to shower and lay your
head for the night
Second, the parking lot at Ronnie's Garage on Lake and Morada is
available for any vehicle that needs to be brought off the hillside.
Just drop it off and call me at 626-543-4844. Any help I can provide,
call too.
Report on the ground: Weather guy and Camguy Bill Westphal, who weathered the night at home despite evacuation orders, gives this report at 7 AM:
View is the same as yesterdays. No
visible flames today, but then again not much is visible :-) Winds
shifted last night and are now out of the North blowing the smoke down
on us. Neighbors who stayed, despite mandatory evacuation orders, kept
watch during the night ready to alert the others if needed. Thank you
to you all. It was a wonderful and heartwarming experience.
Current Conditions:
Temperature 74.7°, 10% Humidity and wind from the Northeast (27°) at 4 MPH. Forecast is for clear skies and 100°.
Just heard the first Helicopters. Situation looks better at this point.
Altadena WeatherCam set another one day record yesterday with 14,677 hits from 2,480 unique viewers. WOW !
Looking forward to a better day.
Things are happening very quickly now, so we've decided to create this top-of-page section to keep abreast of new information. We're relying on brodcast and newssite reports, first-hand reports from readers, the scanner, and Twitter. If you have any other sources of info, let us know and we'll use 'em!
UPDATE 11:15: Chaney Trail: According to the Chaney Trail neighborhood newsgroup, firetrucks from locales as exotic as Napa and Calistoga as well as Los Angeles and the Forest Service have just headed up the trail. BTW, if you're in a fire-adjacent area, you may want to run your sprinklers to keep the area moist.
Meadows: Moved this note from Dennis Bridwell from the comments:
I want to update you on the latest regarding evacuations in the
Meadows. I understand that the sheriff's station told you that there
were no voluntary evacuations in the Meadows, that is not correct. Two
residence at the top of Risinghill were asked to evacuate last night. I
drove up there myself and spoke with them.
This afternoon a Sheriff's
Deputy Sergeant with the LaCrescenta station came to my house and
discussed with me their plan for this evening. One part of the plan was
to ask residents to evacuate if they felt they needed to. Obviously
they do not want to scare anyone, but living on Risinghill myself I can
tell you that the fire is coming at us like a bat out of hell. The
sheriff's are patrolling the area in the Meadows and one car is
stationed at Lincoln and Canyon Crest in order to make sure that those
who are looking for trouble do not make it up the hill, nor those who
just want to get a closer look at the fire on the crest. My family are
one house of about half of our street that are sticking around.
For
your information several homes and cars have been broken into over the
past two days. We have been in touch with the majority of our neighbors
updating them on information as we get and helping them get packed, or
just reassuring them that we will be alright. I just want you to understand that this is a very serious situation but
we have faith in our fire department to keep us up dated and safe. My
wife and I will be here until my property starts to burn if that
happens, so if you really want to know what is going on up here let me
know.Thanks for getting the word out as it comes to you. Dennis Bridwell Vice-Chairman Altadena Town Council
UPDATE 9:45: Moved this up from the comments:
9:40pm
Update: We live at Poppyfields/Santa Anita. Just went up to Alta Loma
& Marengo. Lots of fire personnel up there but one of them told me
‘we’re just investigating’ - they don’t expect it to come closer down
the hill overnight.
Winds have died down. Fire is “stable”. So no evacuations probably below/ south of Loma Alta at this point.
Jeanne & Lynn
UPDATE 8:30 PM:JPL closed: via reader Andrew Bingham, who passed us an email from Randy J. Aden, Manager, Office of Protective Services at Jet Propulsion Laboratory:
The fire does not at present pose a threat to JPL but as a
precautionary measure, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s Oak Grove site
has been closed. JPL will remain closed throughout the weekend except
for essential personnel. Non-essential personnel will not be allowed
on lab. Facilities at the nearby Woodbury complex, buildings 600, 601,
602 and 605 will remain open.
Those wishing to learn the status of the Laboratory should call
(800)303-4575 or (818) 354-8601 where State of the Lab updates will be
posted. Updates will also be delivered to JPL personnel via JPL email;
through the State of the Lab call in numbers; the Emergency
Communication System, and postings on the jpl home page at jpl.nasa.gov.
Also, just checked with the Altadena Sheriff's station about a rumor of evacuation: nobody is being told to evacuate (even voluntarily) at this time. However, people in the neighborhoods on the edge of the fire are being told to be ready to move, and if they're really uncomfortable, to just go ahead and find another place to stay. At this point (8:40 PM) nobody is being ordered to evacuate, either voluntarily or forcibly.
UPDATE 7 PM: Meadows Firesafe Council has sent out the following email:
With the fire has come an increase in curious persons and cars here in The Meadows creating safety concerns. In addition, a Canyon Crest neighbor's car tires were slashed last night.Altadena Sheriffs will increase their presence in The Meadows this evening including a watch at Lincoln and Canyon Crest to help identify residents as legitimately having access to The Meadows. Please be sure to have you I.D. with you should you need it. Also, if you see suspicious activity, please do not hesitate to contact the Altadena Sherriff at 626-798-1131. Thanks,
The Meadows FireSafe Council
And for fellow scanner geeks, one of our readers says that Station fire air-to-air freq is 169.2875. Might be over with for the night, but should prove exciting tomorrow as the choppers and planes rev up.
Also, as we suspected, any danger from the Station fire to Mt. Wilson is probably just alarmism. Greg Sweet has actually mapped it out:
Of course, this is just eye-balling it from the ground here, but I have
attached a map of the most likely path of the fire to Mt. Wilson. Being
familiar with the terrain, I would say that the fire is certainly in
Bear Canyon, but it would have to make its way up to Markham Saddle,
then across upper Eaton Canyon to get to Mt. Wilson. Burn area in red
(?) and likely path in yellow. Point of fact: I am a hiker, mountain
history buff and donkey packer, but I am not a firefighter; this just a
guess. By the way, the last time that area burned was the 1954
Woodwardia fire that took out Will Thrall's cabin, so there is a lot of
fuel in Bear Canyon.
UPDATE 6 PM: Susan Goldman relays a message from the Pasadena Humane Society:
We have been helping to evacuate animals (including a bob cat and an alpaca!) and we will take care of the pets of fire evacuees for free, for as long as they need to stay. I hope you can help by making a donation today.
UPDATE 5 PM: Calfire twitters:
STATION FIRE is
currently making runs towards Mount Wilson, which is a major
communications facility servicing all of Southern California.
Update 4:30: Bill Westphal emails us: " The Altadena WeatherCam has been turned due
North for a better view of the East Flank of the Station Fire. As of
4pm, the fire has reached Brown Mountain just above Millard Canyon."
Greg Sweet emails us: "I talked to Lonnie, the campground host at Millard Canyon about an hour
ago (2:30pm 08/28/09). He had spoken with Wally at Search & Rescue
and with Kevin Hunt, forest ranger. At that time there were no
evacuation orders for Millard Canyon, but that he expected them soon;
these things having to be drawn up by lawyers. However, he was wise
enough to have already removed the pickup truck, computer, papers etc,
and was considering the removal of his home/RV. Other cabin owners
seemed to him to be less responsive to the threat.
As of the time of
our conversation, the fire had already burned through the Ken Burton
trail and was advancing on the Brown Mountain road. Bug lovers rest
assured, the bee keeper removed his hive two weeks ago. The word that
the Burton trail had burned tells me that it probably went through
Oakwilde Campground as well. But since that facility was slated for
rehabilitation anyway, and the access road down Dark Canyon had long
since overgrown, this may be a silver lining. "Resources" were
scheduled to attack the fire from Chaney Trail/Brown Mountain this
evening. Also, I witnessed a steady stream of panicked La Vina
residents headed home mid-afternoon. Nuccio's had the Rainbirds on and
looked a little worried.
Please remember that as of 5 PM, nobody has been evacuated from Altadena, but several neighborhoods in the northwest (Millard Canyon, La Vina and The
Meadows) have been/are being warned to prepare to move.
Via Dennis Bridwell, two homes on Risinghill were asked to voluntarily evacuate as a precaution due to a change in wind direction from the Station Fire near La Canada. About 500 homes have been evacuated in La Canada so far, according to the latest reports.
The Los Angeles County Fire Dept. is sponsoring a "fire expo" on Sat., Aug. 8, from 10 AM - 2 PM. The expo will be held at Memorial Park in La Canada Flintridge. Click on the flyer for more details.
Lori Paul of the Chaney Trail neighborhood has send out this timely message to the newsgroups, and a copy of this flyer:
Dear Trail Users & Foothill Neighbors,
We
are ramping up to the Independence Day holiday next weekend. Last night
I heard firecrackers going off down in the ravine east of us. As in
recent years, the chaparral is desiccating rapidly as summer heat
begins, with no forecast of rain anytime soon. The fire hazard is
currently high in Angeles National Forest and the foothills surrounding
our homes. Recalling the 20 acre Alta Fire (allegedly set by teenagers
with firecrackers) at the Cobb Estate on 9 July 2006; the Lowe Fire
near the same location on 26 August 2007 (photo below); the big Sierra
Madre Fire only 7 miles east of Altadena (as the crow flies or the wind
blows!) on 26 April 2008 that burned over 584 acres... and the many
other wildfires in Southern California since 2008... there is reason to
be concerned. [Photo courtesy of ABC News Online]
Visitors
who come from other locales to watch fireworks displays or to celebrate
Independence Day with BBQs and fireworks are not always well informed
about the fire risk in Angeles Forest and our hillside neighborhoods.
We remain one firecracker or cigarette away from a catastrophic
wildfire. Raising public awareness of the danger may help prevent a
fire from starting or result in a fire getting reported soon enough to
be stoppable.
To help educate 4th of July visitors, an updated Visitor Fire Prevention Flyer will be available this week from “Take One” dispensers located at: -- Chaney Trail Gate
-- Altadena Crest Trail junction on Chaney Trail
-- Sunset Ridge Fire Road trail parking area at the top of Chaney Trail (attached to the Adventure Pass & info. sign).
One
page flyers and brochures provided by the Sheriffs and Fire Department
regarding illegal fireworks and shooting into the air (a really dumb
idea) will also be in the dispensers, as quantities last. We will also
get flyers to Lonnie Fehr that he can hand-out in Millard Canyon
campground ...
Thanks
to our local fire station for reviewing the flyer text and for
providing "No Fireworks" signs to post up Chaney Trail. Supervisor
Antonovich's office has also provided signs. For the last two years,
the Visitor Fire Prevention Flyer has been made possible through donations from local residents. Rob
and I print quite a few color copies with our printer. Several other
neighbors have printed out enough additional copies to keep the
dispensers full during the holiday, while other residents hiked up the
hill to check and stock dispensers. Thank you to all the "usual
suspects." ... As
some of you already know, the Chaney Trail Gate will be locked early
(at 6:00pm) later this week to prevent motorized vehicle entry up
Chaney Trail during late afternoon and evenings over the holiday
period. We have been told that turnouts between the Chaney Trail Gate
and the campground will have "Temporary No Parking" easels blocking
them so that day users will not be tempted to BBQ or set off fireworks
in those turnouts adjacent to dry brush. Chaney Trail access to the
Forest will remain open for pedestrians, mountain bikers, and horse
riders during the 4th of July holiday. Those who have reserved sites in
Millard Canyon campground will be allowed in, as well.
The
weather forecast this week is for dry, hot temperatures in the 90s.
Please be especially vigilant for smoke and illegal use of fireworks.
If you see suspicious or unsafe behavior, please call the Sheriffs at
626.798.1131 or 9-1-1, as appropriate.
Special
thanks to the Altadena Sheriffs; local County Fire Stations; County
Dept. of Public Works; the USFS Fire Department; USFS LEOs; local Fire
Safe Councils; and all the neighbors, cabin owners, and other
volunteers who will be watching over the Forest and our homes this
coming week. We appreciate all the extra time, effort, and expense
spent on behalf of our safety. Respectfully, Lori L. Paul Resident, Chaney Trail Neighborhood
on 1838 E. Braeburn, will get pictures and video up ASAP ...
UPDATE: We've got the video up:
and now some stills:
(sorry we can't add more right now -- it's spring break and we have two kids in tow -- kinda discovered this by accident, and don't really want to work a fire scene with two little kids!)
Workers try to shore up a fire-damaged house on the south side of Altadena Dr. near Maiden Lane. The home was extensively damaged in the mid-afternoon fire, and here we see workers applying plastic sheeting to the house to minimize rain damage.
(hat tip: Tom R.)
Update, 9:30 PM: A witness writes:
Kudos to the L.A. County Fire Dept., including a battalion chief, who
responded very quickly and in great force from quite a number of
stations. They worked hard for many hours to put out the fire, protect
the adjoining properties, and assist the homeowner. Same goes for the
sheriffs on the scene; they did an excellent job and served our
community very well!
As we watch the news coverage of the fires in Sylmar and Montecito, we send out our prayers to those affected and the firefighters who are battling the blazes. (Particular prayers go out to the brothers at Mt. Calvary Retreat House, who were forced to flee as the monastery was totally destroyed).
While we're fortunate that nothing is happening in the local area, the low humidity and gusty winds are putting Los Angeles and Ventura Counties into red flag conditions at least until Sunday afternoon, so if you're going into the mountains this weekend, be especially careful.
With several fires going on in Southern California (including Porter Ranch and Merack Fire close but-not-too-close to us), we just got word that 60 MPH winds are predicted for tonight. Batten the hatches, and for you in the hills, keep your sniffer sharp.
Just in from National Weather Service (and the ever active Bill Westphal just sent it in to us, too:
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LOS ANGELES/OXNARD HAS ISSUED A RED FLAG WARNING... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 PM THIS EVENING TO 12 PM PDT FRIDAY. THE FIRE WEATHER WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT. NORTHWEST TO NORTH WINDS 20 TO 35 MPH WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 50 MPH ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP TONIGHT THROUGH PASSES AND CANYONS... WITH GUSTY WINDS PERSISTING THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING. THE STRONGEST WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO OCCUR NEAR THE INTERSTATE 5 CORRIDOR.
IN ADDITION...RELATIVE HUMIDITY VALUES ARE EXPECTED TO DROP TO 15 PERCENT OR LESS FOR SEVERAL HOURS DURING THE PEAK OF THE EVENT... WITH THE STRONG LIKELIHOOD FOR SINGLE DIGIT READINGS AT TIMES TONIGHT.
A RED FLAG WARNING MEANS THAT CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE EITHER OCCURRING NOW...OR WILL SHORTLY. A COMBINATION OF STRONG WINDS... LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY... AND WARM TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE EXPLOSIVE FIRE GROWTH POTENTIAL. PLEASE ADVISE THE APPROPRIATE OFFICIALS OR FIRE CREWS IN THE FIELD OF THIS RED FLAG WARNING.
Getting some chatter from newsgroups about an early morning fire up around Chaney Trail -- it's under control. We have some other matters to take care of immediately, but will follow up when we return.
UPDATE 9 PM: Just received this terse and informative note from Chaney Trail Fire Marshal (well, if not she should be) Alice Wessen:
Small fire around 1:15AM of 50 sq
feet just at the turn out of Chaney Trail. It is being investigated
by the National Forest investigators (it's in their jurisdiction).
Possible arson. It is an area frequented by folks strolling in the
night hours looking to either star watch, make out, or do mischief.
No more details until the report is released. We are all grateful for
the quick response of the fire dept. The fire was out in literally
minutes.
There were emergency vehicles and fire trucks going up and down Chaney till at least 3:30AM.
10 PM UPDATE: Alice tells us that the fire was spotted by a Pasadena police chopper that happened to be flying in the area -- otherwise, it could've gone very bad.
ATC member Alice Wessen's (CT4601.03) website reminds us that there will be a panel discussion at 6 PM at the Loma Alta Park Gym on emergency response and planning.
The purpose of this meeting is to explain to the community the
county emergency response system and planning as well as obtain feed
back from the community on emergency planning issues. This interchange
will help to identify community emergency planning needs and next steps
needed to meet the Board assignment.
Both Chaney Trail and the Meadows neighborhoods have been identified as priority areas, so feed back from residents are very important.
Via the Contra Costa Times, a memorial will be held this afternoon for two LA County firefighters who died 15 years ago today, battling a brushfire near Altadena. The ceremony for Christopher Herman and Arthur Ruezga will be held at Fire Camp 2, 4810 N. Oak Grove Drive.
Sierra Madre public schools are OPEN (and dad says YAY!)
Inside So Cal's LA Outdoors has a map of closed trails.
Altadenablog was taking Spawn 2 to an appointment in Arcadia yesterday afternoon and decided to drive thru Sierra Madre to get the flavor of things. A full crowd was seated at the outdoor tables of The Only Place in Town restaurant, having lunch and watching the spectacle in the foothills.
Thanks to Alice Sarkisian Wessen, we have added a new page of emergency and fire preparedness weblinks among the permanent pages (right column). As with all the pages, it's a dynamic work in progress, so if there are any links you think we should add, mail us at:
Our friend Monica Hubbard has forwarded this announcement from Pasadena Public Health:
PASADENA PUBLIC HEALTH ALERT #1
As a result of the ongoing wildfires in the foothills above Pasadena,
Sierra Madre and Arcadia, air quality continues to remain unhealthful
throughout the San Gabriel Valley.
As of today, the South Coast Air Quality Management District has upgraded
the local air quality scale to unhealthy particle pollution levels for
sensitive groups.
Pasadena Public Health Department is providing the following advisory for
anyone children, seniors and anyone with medical issues such as heart
disease, emphysema, asthma and other lung conditions:
* Stay indoors as much as possible.
* Keep windows, doors and fireplace dampers shut if possible.
* If possible, circulate clean air indoors through the use of air
conditioners and/or air cleaners and purifiers. Air conditioners
with HEPA filters further reduce the level of particles that circulate
indoors.
* Monitor medical conditions and be vigilant about taking medications
prescribed by health care providers.
* Anyone with asthma should keep “as needed” medications with them at all
times and contact their health care providers if symptoms develop.
* People who develop persistent coughs or develop breathing difficulties
should contact their health care professionals.
For more information visit the city of Pasadena website at
www.cityofpasadena.net or
the Air Quality Management District website at
www.aqmd.gov, or call Pasadena Public
Health Department (626) 744-6012 or AQMD at (800) 288-7664.
# # #
Ann Erdman
Public Information Officer
City of Pasadena
Public Affairs Office
100 N. Garfield Ave., Room S228
Pasadena CA 91109
As we sit, it's almost dawn and you can hear the helicopters flying over Altadena on their way to fight the Santa Anita fire. TV news reports that firefighters have lost ground overnight, and containment isn't expected until Wednesday or Thursday.
Sierra Madre schools, both public and private, are closed for the day. Reports from the field say that Sierra Madre police are trying to keep the streets clear for emergency vehicle traffic, so please no looky-looing.
On a smoky day in Altadena, here are some places to watch:
The city of Sierra Madre website reports that the city council has declared a state of emergency. They are requesting that everyone keep off the streets to keep them clear for fire and police vehicles. All public and private schools are closed tomorrow due to the fire. About 1,000 people in Sierra Madre have had to leave their homes. (This totally throws Altadenablog's day, since both his younger children attend S.M. Elementary.) It's Sunday -- keep up your prayers for the residents and first responders. Looks like it may be Wednesday before containment.
Some photos of the staging area at a blog new to us, East of Allen.
Check out 90214, who is blogging just blocks from the fire.
