ANF - Station Fire 8-26-09

[Wrightwood]

For larger size:
http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/Fires/MD_station_20090903day.JPG



For larger size:

http://www.wrightwoodcalif.com/Fires/MD_station_20090903_E_land.JPG

[Wrightwood]

Inciweb.org update 27 minutes ago
http://inciweb.org/incident/1856/

Incident Overview
Station Fire Perimeter, 09/02.09 am

Incident Commanders are pleased that residents in the areas of Acton, La Crescenta and La Canada-Flintridge areas were able return to their homes. They are well aware of how difficult the disruption to daily life can be when a wildfire forces people to flee so the decision to call for evacuations is never taken lightly. They will continue to actively review the areas under closure and lift those orders as soon as it is safe to do so. Again, the fire dictates our firefighting strategy and tactics and it is prudent for people in these areas to have a plan in place should conditions warrant.

If your are not sure that the fire is at a safe distance away please err on the side of safety and go to your pre-designated safe place. Don't wait for an order to evacuate. Visit http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/ for a downloadable document called "Ready, Set, Go! Your Wildfire Action Plan." Operations reported significant progress on constructed fire line during the overnight period. Divisions M, on the north side of the fire and Divisions E through W on the south side of the fire, remain quiet and in the mop-up phase.

Direct line is being constructed in Bear Mountain area. Mount Wilson is still a concern but fire personnel personnel are feeling more comfortable that the Observatory will not be damaged.

Plans are to continue a firing operation that began on the night shift, along Highway 2, in the Chilao area.

Tthe most active and most critical areas of fire activity are in Devil's Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Dillon Divide area in Pacoima Canyon.

Fire crews are in mop up and patrol stages in the areas where evacuations have been lifted so please keep an eye out for their presence and give them room to work.

The fire burned actively into the Little Tujunga and Oak Springs area on the western side of the fire. Residents in these areas east and north of the 210 Freeway are urged to pay close attention to their fire information sources for potential evacuation orders. Several hundred firefighters are assigned to that area along with water and retardant dropping helicopters and air tankers. 670,000 gallons of water and retardent were dropped on the fire yesterday.

Yesterday crews made good progress constructing fire line along Santa Clara Ridge bordering Magic Mountain Wilderness however there is still a lot of work to be done closing off the advancing fire between the Magic Mountain Wilderness and Limerock Peak.

A dozer line is in place between Bootleggers Canyon and Aliso Canyon near Acton helping to ease fears on the northern part of the fire.

Yesterday the fire on the north east flank backed down the Little Rock drainage between the Desert Marksman Rifle Range and Bare Peak. In the Juniper Hills area a bull dozer fire line is now in place from just west of Indian Bill Canyon south to Forest Road 4N15 and down to Little Rock Creek. The fire moved to the lower Chilao Road and into Manzanita Camp Ground near Hwy 2 forcing commanders to consider pulling back from a helicopter landing spot.

Yesterday the fire continued to move west toward Mount Wilson. Currently there is a large contingent of fire engines, hand crews, and water tenders in place to protect and defend the valuable assets on top of the mountain. Aircraft were also called in to drop retardant on the west slope of Mt. Wilson to slow the fire's progress. Thanks to the hard work done over the past few days Mount Wilson's defensibility has been greatly improved.

The fire burned on the west side of the San Gabriel Wilderness and access is a problem. Contingency plans are being developed to stop the fire at Hwy 39 along the North Fork of the San Gabriel River.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger paid a visit to the Incident Command Post yesterday and spent some time meeting with the firefighters and personally expressing his thanks for their efforts. He later met with incident commanders for a briefing on the current situation.

Mandatory Evacuations:

Glendale: Dukmejian Wilderness Park

Angeles National Forest: entire eastern main body of the Angeles National Forest will be closed effective 12:00 p.m. 9/3/09 until full containment of the Station Fire.

Open to Residents Only:

City of Los Angeles: Riverwood, Sister Elsie Canyon, and Blanchard Canyon

Openings: All OTHER residential evacuations associated with the Station Fire have been lifted at this time.

Road Closures:

Angeles Crest Hwy between Big Pines Hwy and the Angeles National Forest Boundary in La Ca�ada Flintridge

Little Tujunga Rd between Placerita Canyon Rd and Osborne St

Big Tujunga Rd between Mt Gleason Ave and Angeles Forest Hwy

Angeles Forest Hwy between Aliso Canyon Rd and Angeles Crest Hwy

Chaney Tr at Angeles National Forest gate

Evacuation Shelters: Located at La Ca�ada High School, and Golden Valley High School, Recreation Building at Marie Kerr Park, Verdugo High School.

Animal Shelters: Located at Pasadena Humane Society, Baldwin Park Animal Shelter, LA County Agora Hills Animal Shelter. Antelope Valley Fairgrounds will accept all large animals. Pierce College can only accept horses, donkeys and mules. Lancaster Animal Shelter and Agoura Animal Shelter are both accepting small animals.

Basic Information
Incident Type   Wildfire
Cause   Under Investigation
Date of Origin   Wednesday August 26th, 2009 approx 03:30 PM
Location   Los Angeles River Ranger District / Angeles National Forest
Incident Commander   Dietrich / Bryan / Fender
Current Situation
Total Personnel   4,735
Size   144,743 acres
Percent Contained   38%
Estimated Containment Date   Tuesday September 15th, 2009 approx 06:00 PM
Fuels Involved   

Very heavy fuels of ceanothus, chamise, scrub oak and manzanita across the entire fire area, 15 to 20 feet in height with Big Cone Douglas Fir in the drainage bottoms. Fuels have not experienced any significant large fire activity in the past 40 years.
Fire Behavior   

The fire was very active today. Extreme fire behavior was observed when the winds and slopes came into alignment.
Significant Events   

A mandatory evacuation order is in place for Little Tujunga from Bear Divide to the Wildlife Waystation. Evacuations have been changed. Please call 211 for evacuation information.
Outlook
Planned Actions   

Crews will prepare, and protect structures when and where necessary. Additional crews will construct handlines, improve existing lines, burnout as needed, build dozer lines and protect critical communication sites. Firefighters will continue firing and burn operations to help contain the fire.
Growth Potential   

Extreme
Terrain Difficulty   

Extreme
Remarks   

Angeles Crest Highway remains closed and is the primary access route for camps , numerous private residences, and the Mount Wilson Communication Facility and Observatory. Multiple evacuation centers have been established. The Mount Wilson Communications is directly threatened. This facility is a major communications hub for all of Southern California.
Unit Information
USFS Shield
Angeles National Forest
U.S. Forest Service
701 N. Santa Anita Avenue
Arcadia, CA 91006
Incident Contact
Angeles National Forest
Phone: 626-821-6700
Recent Articles

    * Station Fire Evening Update Sept. 2, 2009
      News - 9 hrs. ago
    * Fema Funding to Help California Fight Station Fire
      News - 9 hrs. ago
    * Evacuations Have Changeed. Please Call 211 for Additional Information
      Announcement - 17 hrs. ago
    * Station Fire Morning Update Sept. 2, 2009
      News - 21 hrs. ago

Related Incident Links

    * Calfornia Division of Forestry
    * American Red Cross

[Wrightwood]

Approximately 350 people attended last night's Station Fire briefing in Wrightwood

[RobertW]

So for those of us who couldn't attend, what was the general concensus and the nature of the information that was given out?  Should Wrightwood residents be concerned about the Station fire reaching them or not?

[BostonBob]

Hundreds show up at Wrightwood fire meeting

September 03, 2009 8:34 AM
NATASHA LINDSTROM Staff Writer

WRIGHTWOOD • San Bernardino and Los Angeles county officials reassured hundreds of Wrightwood residents Wednesday night that the Station Fire is not an immediate threat — but in a worst-case scenario, the blaze could reach Wrightwood in four days.

 

“We will make sure if this monster gets close to Wrightwood that you will be able to get out in an orderly fashion,” San Bernardino County Fire Division Chief Tim Wessel to applause from the audience. “We are prepared to protect the community, and we will do everything we can to do that.”

 

First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt and several public agencies, including fire, law enforcement, forest, public health and emergency services officials, led a community meeting for more than 400 residents on the athletic field of Wrightwood Elementary School.

 

Officials told residents late Wednesday the Station Fire blazed about 13 air miles away from Wrightwood, amounting to many more miles along the steep, rugged terrain of the Angeles National Forest.

 

Wessel assured residents that the San Bernardino County Fire Department is “fully engaged” with the team fighting the Station Fire and receiving regular updates on the possible dangers to Wrightwood. Officials told residents that if the fire becomes an imminent threat, they will first be given a voluntary evacuation notice, followed by a mandatory evacuation notice.

 Information on the Station Fire is available 24 hours a day by calling (626) 821-6700 or visiting www.inciweb.org.
 
 John Aziz, a member of the Wrightwood Fire Safety Council, encourages residents to visit WrightwoodFSC.com for updates on the local situation.

http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/wrightwood-14234-fire-hundreds.html

[BostonBob]

So for those of us who couldn't attend, what was the general concensus and the nature of the information that was given out?  Should Wrightwood residents be concerned about the Station fire reaching them or not?

The bottom line is that there is the possibility that the fire could reach Wrightwood. The consensus is that there is not a high probability of the fire reaching our community. If everything that could go wrong, such as strong winds, extremely low humidity and the fire turning incredibly aggressive, the fire could reach Wrightwood in 4 days. We would have to be incredibly unlucky for those events to occur and thus it is highly unlikely that it could reach us that fast. A slightly more probable scenario is that it could reach us in 5 to 10 days, but again, the odds are not high that will happen either. For the fire to actually reach us, it would have to travel through 3 previous fire burn areas and through the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Project area, plus get past the huge amount of manpower and equipment that they are throwing at this fire.

So what should you do? Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Being prepared means staying informed by visiting this website, listening to our own AM 1610 radio for important announcements, having a plan for your family, using the checklist that is on the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council Magnet. If the authorities tell you to leave, they will tell you in plenty of time and it is best to not wait and to follow their instructions.

You should not be overly worried, but it is important for you to be prepared. Yes the fire could reach us, even though the percentage is small, but by living in the area we choose to live in, you should always be prepared. We could be hit by the big quake at anytime and if one of the occasional illegal campfires took off in bad conditions, you could literally only have minutes to evacuate your family and important possessions.

Wildfires are a way of life for this area and if you choose to live here your best bet is to be proactive and not reactive. You are always safer if you are well informed and prepared. If you are concerned, attend one of our Fire Safe Council meetings on the third Tuesday of every month at 7pm at the Museum next to Mile High Pizza. We or the many agency personnel that attend these meetings can answer all of your questions and give you information that is invaluable to the safety of your home and family. The Wrightwood FSC works closely with many of the people and agencies that put on last night's community meeting and we are here to help you and our town stay as safe as possible in regards to fire and preparedness.

[Elk]

Angeles National Forest Station Fire Closure Order
Incident: Station Fire Wildfire
Released: 4 hrs. ago

AREA CLOSURE

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50(a) and (b), and to protect natural resources and provide for public safety, the following acts are prohibited within the Station Fire Area of the Angeles National Forest. This order is effective from 12:00 p.m. on September 3, 2009, until the Station Fire is fully contained.

1. Going into or being upon National Forest System lands within the Station Fire Area, which is described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B. 36 CFR 261.53(e).

2. Being on any National Forest System road within the Station Fire Area, which is described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B. 36 CFR 261.54(e).

3. Being on any National Forest System trail within the Station Fire Area, which is described in Exhibit A and shown on Exhibit B. 36 CFR 261.55(a).

Pursuant to 36 CFR 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this order:

1. Persons with a permit from the Forest Service specifically authorizing the otherwise prohibited act or omission.

2. Owners or lessees of private land within the Station Fire Area are exempt from the prohibitions listed above to the extent necessary to gain access to their land.

3. Persons who reside on private land within the Station Fire Area are exempt from the prohibitions listed above to the extent necessary to gain access to their residences.

4. Persons with a special use permit or contract from the Forest Service authorizing work within the Station Fire Area and their employees, contractors, or agents are exempt from the prohibitions listed above to the extent authorized by the special use permit or contract.

5. Any Federal, State, or local officer, or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.

These prohibitions are in addition to the general prohibitions contained in 36 CFR Part 261, Subpart A.

Done at Arcadia, California, this 3rd day of September, 2009.

.

MARTIN DUMP is Acting Forest Supervisor Angeles National Forest

A violation of these prohibitions is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both.

16 USC 551 and 18 USC 3559, 3571, and 3581.

This order supersedes Order No. 01-09-06, dated Aug. 30, 2009.



ORDER NO. 01-09-07
Angeles National Forest

Station Fire Closure

Exhibit A


The Station Fire Closure Area consists of all National Forest System lands within the Angeles National Forest bounded by California State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) on the north, then continuing northeast to California State Route 138 (Pearblossom Highway), then continuing east to California Interstate 15 (Ontario Freeway/Barstow Freeway), then continuing south to California Interstate 210 (Foothill Freeway), then continuing west to the starting point.

[Bob C]

Exhibit A

The Station Fire Closure Area consists of all National Forest System lands within the Angeles National Forest bounded by California State Route 14 (Antelope Valley Freeway) on the north, then continuing northeast to California State Route 138 (Pearblossom Highway), then continuing east to California Interstate 15 (Ontario Freeway/Barstow Freeway), then continuing south to California Interstate 210 (Foothill Freeway), then continuing west to the starting point.

What does this mean for those who travel along LA County N4?

[snowave]

road is open to thru traffic only.. no stopping for recreational activities.

[Wrightwood]

SMOKE ADVISORY-VICTOR VALLEY, BARSTOW & 29 PALMS
Posted Date: 9/3/2009

September 3, 2009

The Mojave Desert Air Quality Mangement District has issued a Smoke Advisory today for areas of the Victor Valley, Barstow & 29 Palms.  Changing weather and fire conditions will determine whether areas of the High Desert  are affected.

Smoke from the wildfires currently burning could affect air quality in these areas.

Smoke may be visible in areas of the High Desert even when ground level air quality is not affected.  If you smell smoke in the air where you are, be cautious and use common sense to protect your family's health.  Everyone - especially people with heart or lung disease, older adults and children - should limit time spent outdoors and avoid outdoor exercise when smoke is in the area.  If you have symptoms of lung or heart disease that may be related to exposure to smoke and particles, including repeated coughing, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, contact your health care provider.

[Wrightwood]

AngelesNF
Commanders in the air are evaluating the smoke conditions in the Chilao area to determine if fixed wing aircraft can be deployed to slow the fire between Santiago Canyon and Bare Mountain. More than 30 aircraft are assigned or available to fight the fire today so maintaining visibility minimums are crucial to flight safety.

[Wrightwood]

More on Newcomb's Ranch

http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/09/03/station-fire-close-newcombs-ranch/

http://media.scpr.org/audio/features/20090903_features1736.mp3

Here's the Facebook page for Newcomb's Ranch
http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=newcombs+ranch&init=quick#/wall.php?id=95353861327

[Wrightwood]

After listening to the interview there still isn't any facts given (that I heard) on who confirmed that the structures made it through the fire.

[wwpt]

 
  An LaCoFD tender driver who lives in Wrightwood said he drove by Newcombes and the building was standing, but scorched. 
   I weigh that more than all the posts on sportbike forums (Ducati, Aprilia) that said a  bartender had Im'd a friend of a friend and he saw it burn.   Maybe they are both right.

[K9luvr]

A slightly more probable scenario is that it could reach us in 5 to 10 days, but again, the odds are not high that will happen either. For the fire to actually reach us, it would have to travel through 3 previous fire burn areas and through the Big Pines Fuel Reduction Project area, plus get past the huge amount of manpower and equipment that they are throwing at this fire.

So what should you do? Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Being prepared means staying informed by visiting this website, listening to our own AM 1610 radio for important announcements, having a plan for your family, using the checklist that is on the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council Magnet.

And when the smoke clears, politely but firmly insist that the Wrightwood Fuel Reduction EA projects are funded to create more defesible space around the town.  Well in excess of $100,000 was spent on the analysis for this document.  If the projects are not implemented in a timely manner, then the NEPA is "stale" and can't be used.  Clem Lagrosa and I started this project in 2002.  The EA was FINALLY approved after I left and Clem retired.  I can't say it at work but since I'm off work and on my home computer I can say it now--write your congressional reps and get this project funded!  The Big Pines Fuelbreak was just a stopgap measure until the EA could be done.  Work with the WW Fire Safe Council to put pressure on the ANF to fund these projects.  Heck, write the Regional Forester if you can't get any response from the ANF. 

One of the reasons I left was the frustration over the inability to get things done.  but this is a project that I STILL feel passionately about that needs to get completed.  Will it "save the town"--no, but it will make it much more defensible in the event of a large scale wildfire.  You will still need to do your defensible space around your homes.  The idea was to have a large buffer that would make the fire drop to the ground and be much easier to suppress by ground personnel.  Heck--this is some of the only high elevation green left--it needs to be protected.  Please, PLEASE think about trying to get these projects completed. 

[snowave]

After listening to the interview there still isn't any facts given (that I heard) on who confirmed that the structures made it through the fire.

I feel comfortable after CH 7 at 5 showed an interview of a firefighter in front of the cafe.  It was still standing.   However, the fire activity around Chilao still looked pretty intense from the video footage from earlier today.

[BostonBob]

Thank you K9luvr, we know how near and dear that project was and is to you. The Wrightwood Fire Safe Council has plans to more aggressively pursue The Wrightwood Fuel Reduction Project with the ANF after the danger from the Station Fire is over. The new District Ranger Blount is really a good guy and a very effective communicator. He seems to like our town and our Fire Safe Council, so we are hoping that will help move this project forward. I know the powers that be above him might not be willing to get this project moving as fast as we or the District Ranger would like, but we have already seen how political pressure can move the immovable. When we first talked to you about this project years ago and combining it with the private land fuels reduction, we always thought it would be the private land that would be the problem. Now here we are and the private land is all done with the fuel thinning and we are still waiting for the ANF to step up to the plate. The ANF is close to 25% of its total acreage blackened with the Station Fire so they won't have much to administer on at least a quarter of their forest. I hope they will be more willing to spend the money on the already approved Wrightwood Project to keep what little green is left in our forest.

[Calindy]

Ch. 4 news just confirmed the Station Fire was ARSON...

[Wrightwood]

Thanks snowwave as I hope it survives.

I feel comfortable after CH 7 at 5 showed an interview of a firefighter in front of the cafe.  It was still standing.   However, the fire activity around Chilao still looked pretty intense from the video footage from earlier today.

[Wrightwood]

AngelesNF
Station Fire Summary of Fire Operations for 9-03-09   Incident Commander Mike Dietrich stated this morning that he was very pleased with the progress that firefighters have made over the past 24 hours and is very appreciative of their hard work. Thirty eight percent of the fire perimeter is now in the mop up and patrol stage.   Night shift fire crews were able to take advantage of favorable weather conditions and attack the fire directly in some areas. A bull dozer line has been extended father up Little Tujunga Canyon as far as Forest Road 3N29 near Boulder Canyon. Work continues to try and connect the line up toward Sand Canyon. Helicopters assisted ground crews in holding the line established on Divide Road on the south side of the Magic Mountain Wilderness. Air tankers were called in later when conditions allowed to provide additional support.   Bulldozers were instrumental in extending the line significantly in the Chilao area connecting Bare Mountain south to Lower Chilao Road. Additional dozer work is being done as a contingency to protect the Juniper Hills area.   The fire has moved farther east into the San Gabriel Wilderness and is staying south of Hwy 2 and Mount Waterman.   In the Mount Wilson area fire crews continued extensive fuel modification work along with more retardant drops leading to some guarded optimism for the safety of the critical infrastructure there.   The area south and east of Mount Wilson is a very high priority for dozer and hand crews to construct fire breaks to keep the fire as far away from structures as possible . Firefighters are trying to fortify the existing truck trail system as a fire break.   Additional crews are performing brush work along Hwy 39 as a contingency should the fire move down to the San Gabriel River.   A community meeting is being conducted in Pasadena to inform citizens that could be impacted by the fire should conditions move the fire south toward Sierra Madre

[Wrightwood]

Fire was arson; homicide investigation begins
Station fire was arson; homicide investigation begins
September 3, 2009 |  5:53 pm

The Station fire has been classified as an arson fire, and authorities have launched a homicide investigation.

The massive blaze, which killed two firefighters, has been under investigation for days, with the focus being on a road turnout along Angeles Crest Highway north of La Cañada Flintridge.

“Forensic examination has led this team effort to conclude … that it was an act of arson," said Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department spokesman Steve Whitmore.

The Station fire, which has burned about 144,000 acres of the Angeles National Forest, is the largest fire in L.A. County history. Two firefighters died Sunday during a rescue effort, when their vehicle plunged down a mountain.

On Wednesday, investigators hunched under a scorched, 20-foot-tall oak tree off Angeles Crest Highway, using wire mesh sifters to search through the ash in an attempt to determine whether the Station fire was deliberately set.

Near Mile Marker 29, authorities were treating the fire's suspected ignition site as a crime scene. Yellow tape cordoned off the area and authorities blocked the highway, turning away even Caltrans workers and earthmovers. Members of the bomb squad also arrived at the scene but officials declined to say what their role was in the probe.

"We believe it is the point of origin," Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Mike McCormick said Wednesday. "They are doing a finely detailed, serious, serious search and investigation. We lost two firefighters in this."

—Ari B. Bloomekatz

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/09/station-fire-was-arson-homicide-investigation-begins.html

[Surfer_Dude]

More News photos of the local fires,

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2009/09/wildfires_in_southern_californ.html


Please do not click above link if you find these types of images upsetting.

[Topdog]

So what should you do? Hope for the best, but be prepared for the worst. Being prepared means staying informed by visiting this website, listening to our own AM 1610 radio for important announcements, having a plan for your family, using the checklist that is on the Wrightwood Fire Safe Council Magnet. If the authorities tell you to leave, they will tell you in plenty of time and it is best to not wait and to follow their instructions.

As a part of being proactive I would like to add that you should have video or picture documentation of your entire house, inside and out, and all of your possessions.  In the event of a total loss, you will be required to list every single item you own in order to receive insurance money for it - they do not automatically give you your max coverage.  Also, you will need to be able to describle in detail the construction and finish of your home so that the insurance company can determine the fair market value of your home and/or replacement cost of your home as a means of determining how much they will pay you for the structure.  Video documentation will be extremely valuable in this as it is impossible to recall every single detail of your home or every item in your house once it is incinerated.

[ChrisLynnet]

Surfer-Dude, these shots are AMAZING. Thanks so much for the link. My son and I spotted two of these helicopters today as we drove back home from Pasadena.

[Wrightwood]

ANF
Fire Status
Fire Name: Station
Geographic Location: Highway 2 North of La Cañada – Flintridge, CA
Acres Burned: 147,418
Start Date: August 26, 2009
Time: 3:20 p.m.
Percent Contained: 38%
Estimated Containment Date: 9/15/09
Cause: Arson
Injuries: 7
Structures Threatened: 6,000
Commercial Buildings Threatened: 200
Residences Destroyed:  64
Commercial Property Destroyed:  3
Outbuildings/Other Destroyed:  27
Communication Sites Destroyed: 2   Resources
Cooperators: US Forest Service (Lead Agency) with support from Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Los Angeles City Fire Department, Glendale Fire Department, Pasadena Fire Department, California State Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Red Cross, CAL FIRE, Southern California Edison, and the cities of Arcadia, Monrovia and Sierra Madre.
Approximate Personnel Assigned:  4,847
Helitankers                                              12
Helicopters                                                7     
Air Tanker                                              11 (including the DC-10, the 747, the Martin Mars)
Engines                                                  419
Hand Crews                                          121
Dozers                                                     66


Summary: The Station Fire has burned 230 square miles of land within the Angeles National Forest and near surrounding foothill communities of La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon, Pasadena, Glendale and Sierra Madre.  The goal of the Incident Management Team is to keep the fire west of Highway 39 and Angeles Crest Highway, east of Interstate 5, south of Highway 14, Pearblossom Highway, and Highway 138, and north of the foothill communities and the Angeles National Forest Boundary.  The fire is moving into areas of the forest with no recorded fire history. 

Concerned about the safety conditions of the press area at the Station Fire Incident Command Post, Incident Safety personnel contacted the LA County Health Department to monitor carbon monoxide levels at the camp.  The concern surrounded numerous media vans and their generators running 24 hours day, high temperatures and humidity, minimal air movement, and a compressed space for the media equipment.

At mid afternoon today, high levels of carbon monoxide were detected around the media press conference area at the Station Fire Incident Command Post.  Carbon monoxide levels returned to a safe reading after the vans and generator were turned off for a couple of hours.


Community Meeting
Azusa Senior Center
740 North Dalton Ave    Azusa, California
September 4, 2009  7 p.m.

Closures:

Glendale:  Dukmejian Wilderness Park

Angeles National Forest:  an area closure of the southern portion of the Angeles National Forest is in effect until it is determined that it is safe to reopen forest areas.

Open to Residents Only:

City of Los Angeles:  Riverwood, Sister Elsie Canyon, and Blanchard Canyon

Pacoima Canyon:  Little Tujunga Canyon Rd between the Wildlife Way Station and Dillon Divide

Road Closures:
•   Angeles Crest Hwy between Big Pines Hwy and the Angeles National Forest Boundary in La Cañada Flintridge
•   Little Tujunga Rd between Osborne St and the Bear Divide Ranger Station
•   Big Tujunga Rd between Mt Gleason Ave and Angeles Forest Hwy
•   Angeles Forest Hwy between Aliso Canyon Rd and Angeles Crest Hwy
•   Chaney Trail at Angeles National Forest gate

Evacuation Shelters: Located at Golden Valley High School, Recreation Building at Marie Kerr Park, Verdugo High School. 

Animal Shelters: Located at Pasadena Humane Society, Baldwin Park Animal Shelter, LA County Agora Hills Animal Shelter.  Antelope Valley Fairgrounds will accept all large animals.  Pierce College can only accept horses, donkeys and mules.  Lancaster Animal Shelter and Agoura Animal Shelter are both accepting small animals.

Los Angeles County Fire Department /s/ Structure Protection Group Leader Mark Bennett for IC Michael Bryant

US Forest Service /s/ Dep IC Carlton Joseph for IC Mike Dietrich

Pasadena Fire Department /s/ Structure Protection Group Leader Mark Bennett for IC Martin Johnson

Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department /s/ IC Henry Romero