The Station Fire began on the afternoon of August 26, 2009, in the Angeles National Forest near La Canada, CA (specific coordinates are 34.251, -118.195). The fire, which started less than a mile from Angeles Crest Highway due to arson, is the 10th largest in California since 1933, burning a total of 160,577 acres (Incident Information System). The terrain of the area is considered "steep and extremely rugged" with thick conifer trees that retain heat, numerous standing dead trees, and a considerable layer of debris and leaf litter that allowed the fire to burn more easily, while also making it harder to extinguish. The fire was deemed fully contained, meaning there were no longer flames or heat present in the burn area, on October 16, 2009, 2 months from its inception.
Vegetation went up in flames and the ground lay torched and blackened as 250 squares miles of the San Gabriel Mountains succumbed to the fire. And while Angeles National Forest has only temporary residents in its ranger stations and campgrounds, many of which were destroyed as the fire progressed, dozens of adjacent communities were expecting the worst. The origin of the Station Fire was calculated to be one mile from the ranger station at La Canada Flintridge. As the fire grew, consuming trees and leaf litter left from years of dormancy, its perimeter spread quickly northward, eventually extending to the northern edge of the forest, as well as making its way east and westward. One of the biggest fuels for the fire was the dry Santa Ana Winds that sweep downward toward the sea off the San Gabriel Mountains. Because heat rises, and since the location of greatest fuel (oxygen) can be found at higher elevations, forest fires are prone to moving uphill, which the Station Fire did as it moved from its point of origin to communities on the northern border like Acton and Mount Wilson.
Eight major cities, La Canada, Sunland, Tujunga, Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, Acton, Sierra Madre, as well as Mt. Wilson and many smaller towns were in direct danger of the fire's reach (Lin). The Los Angeles Fire Department called for mandatory evacuations of the nearest cities, and voluntary evacuations for those areas estimated to be in the range of flames according to daily shifts in weather. Because of the swiftness of the fire's movement, and the initially unfavorable weather conditions for firefighter teams, not only were commercial properties in danger, but residential neighborhoods and several communication towers atop Mt. Wilson were at risk and a major priority of fire prevention teams once they were able to effectively take action. Mount Wilson, which can be seen from the Angeles Crest Highway, is the site of Mount Wilson Observatory, the astronomical hub of Southern California. Its land is also home to the Electronics Reservation which has radio and television antennae for the Metromedia Company, and microwave relay facilities for AT&T and other phone and internet entitities. If Mt. Wilson were overtaken by the flames, communication would, in essence, be cut off for most of Los Angeles County and surrounding areas.
Further threats came from the proximity of the fire to not only local roads, but major highways. Highways 210, 405, 5 and especially 2, which the fire crossed to get into the Arroyo Seco area, and smaller suburban roadways were all perilously close to the inferno, creating hazards for residents trying to get out of their homes and firefighters trying to reach the blaze (Lin, Simmons, Zavis). The uncertainty of the flames, which seemed to be jumping containment boundaries without hesitation, and the swirling clouds of ash and smoke provided locals with visual impairment and potential health complications, especially the elderly and small children. An air quality smoke advisory was placed on areas directly bordering the fire line for nearly a month since it started in late August. Plus, the haze amassed by the heavy smoke made maneuvering by ground vehicles and aircraft (in place to dump gallons of water and fire retardant onto the fire) almost impossible. Evacuation centers set up by the Red Cross in school gymnasiums and local hotels saw dozens of evacuees from various regions pouring in each night with their families, pets, and armfuls of belongings they deemed most worth saving. With the overwhelming size of the fire, the numerous obstacles created by nearby structures and unforgiving terrain, and limited resources, in terms of manpower and equipment, at hand to battle the blaze, it took weeks to quell the flames and significant damage had been done.
The cost for all the destruction is estimated at over $78 million. In all, 166 structures were damaged, including 82 residences and 2 communications sites. Hundreds of acres are left charred and barren, and have posed a serious threat from mudslides during the winter and early spring rainy season, especially on roadways like Highway 2 and Angeles Crest Highway which were directly affected by the flames and lie within parts of Angeles National Forest. Debris and loosened earth are easily propelled downslope under moderate to heavy rains, so the US Forestry Service has been closely monitoring areas of drastic elevation for a possible mud or landslide. Yet in all the physical wreckage, only 11 injuries (mostly due to byproducts of the actual fire) have been reported, and only 2 deaths (2 firemen whose vehicle tumbled over the edge of a cliff) occurred (KTLA). Hot spots may still be quietly burning, so every few weeks following "containment" helicopters have been sent to dump water on areas in the burn zone to keep any resurrgence from occurring. The Los Angeles Fire Department has also created a new program ,"Ready! Set! Go!," which performs brush clearance inspections of wildland residential areas, and that is aimed at helping teach residents how to protect themselves and their properties in the event of a fire (Freeman). But for the most part, all that's left of the Station Fire is scorched earth and a period of rebuilding.
Bibliography
"Evacuation Info, Road and School Closures." KTLA News. 10 Sept. 2009 http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-station-fire-evacuations,0,7123246.story?page=1.
Vegetation went up in flames and the ground lay torched and blackened as 250 squares miles of the San Gabriel Mountains succumbed to the fire. And while Angeles National Forest has only temporary residents in its ranger stations and campgrounds, many of which were destroyed as the fire progressed, dozens of adjacent communities were expecting the worst. The origin of the Station Fire was calculated to be one mile from the ranger station at La Canada Flintridge. As the fire grew, consuming trees and leaf litter left from years of dormancy, its perimeter spread quickly northward, eventually extending to the northern edge of the forest, as well as making its way east and westward. One of the biggest fuels for the fire was the dry Santa Ana Winds that sweep downward toward the sea off the San Gabriel Mountains. Because heat rises, and since the location of greatest fuel (oxygen) can be found at higher elevations, forest fires are prone to moving uphill, which the Station Fire did as it moved from its point of origin to communities on the northern border like Acton and Mount Wilson.
Eight major cities, La Canada, Sunland, Tujunga, Altadena, Pasadena, Glendale, Acton, Sierra Madre, as well as Mt. Wilson and many smaller towns were in direct danger of the fire's reach (Lin). The Los Angeles Fire Department called for mandatory evacuations of the nearest cities, and voluntary evacuations for those areas estimated to be in the range of flames according to daily shifts in weather. Because of the swiftness of the fire's movement, and the initially unfavorable weather conditions for firefighter teams, not only were commercial properties in danger, but residential neighborhoods and several communication towers atop Mt. Wilson were at risk and a major priority of fire prevention teams once they were able to effectively take action. Mount Wilson, which can be seen from the Angeles Crest Highway, is the site of Mount Wilson Observatory, the astronomical hub of Southern California. Its land is also home to the Electronics Reservation which has radio and television antennae for the Metromedia Company, and microwave relay facilities for AT&T and other phone and internet entitities. If Mt. Wilson were overtaken by the flames, communication would, in essence, be cut off for most of Los Angeles County and surrounding areas.
Further threats came from the proximity of the fire to not only local roads, but major highways. Highways 210, 405, 5 and especially 2, which the fire crossed to get into the Arroyo Seco area, and smaller suburban roadways were all perilously close to the inferno, creating hazards for residents trying to get out of their homes and firefighters trying to reach the blaze (Lin, Simmons, Zavis). The uncertainty of the flames, which seemed to be jumping containment boundaries without hesitation, and the swirling clouds of ash and smoke provided locals with visual impairment and potential health complications, especially the elderly and small children. An air quality smoke advisory was placed on areas directly bordering the fire line for nearly a month since it started in late August. Plus, the haze amassed by the heavy smoke made maneuvering by ground vehicles and aircraft (in place to dump gallons of water and fire retardant onto the fire) almost impossible. Evacuation centers set up by the Red Cross in school gymnasiums and local hotels saw dozens of evacuees from various regions pouring in each night with their families, pets, and armfuls of belongings they deemed most worth saving. With the overwhelming size of the fire, the numerous obstacles created by nearby structures and unforgiving terrain, and limited resources, in terms of manpower and equipment, at hand to battle the blaze, it took weeks to quell the flames and significant damage had been done.
The cost for all the destruction is estimated at over $78 million. In all, 166 structures were damaged, including 82 residences and 2 communications sites. Hundreds of acres are left charred and barren, and have posed a serious threat from mudslides during the winter and early spring rainy season, especially on roadways like Highway 2 and Angeles Crest Highway which were directly affected by the flames and lie within parts of Angeles National Forest. Debris and loosened earth are easily propelled downslope under moderate to heavy rains, so the US Forestry Service has been closely monitoring areas of drastic elevation for a possible mud or landslide. Yet in all the physical wreckage, only 11 injuries (mostly due to byproducts of the actual fire) have been reported, and only 2 deaths (2 firemen whose vehicle tumbled over the edge of a cliff) occurred (KTLA). Hot spots may still be quietly burning, so every few weeks following "containment" helicopters have been sent to dump water on areas in the burn zone to keep any resurrgence from occurring. The Los Angeles Fire Department has also created a new program ,"Ready! Set! Go!," which performs brush clearance inspections of wildland residential areas, and that is aimed at helping teach residents how to protect themselves and their properties in the event of a fire (Freeman). But for the most part, all that's left of the Station Fire is scorched earth and a period of rebuilding.
Bibliography
"Evacuation Info, Road and School Closures." KTLA News. 10 Sept. 2009 http://www.ktla.com/news/landing/ktla-station-fire-evacuations,0,7123246.story?page=1.
Freeman, P. Michael. "Ready! Set! Go!." County of Los Angeles Fire Department. 2009 http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/SafetyPreparedness/ReadySetGo/home.asp.
Lin II, Rong-Gong. "Los Angeles Fire Map." Los Angeles Times. 11 Sept. 2009 http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-la-fire-map-html,0,7464337.htmlstory.
Lin II, Rong-Gong; Simmons, Ann; Zavis, Alexandra."La Canada Fire Spreads Toward Alta Dena; Big Tujunga Canyon Road Closed." Los Angeles Times. 28 Aug. 2009 http://www.latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/la-canada-fires-spread-toward-altadena-big-tujunga-canyon-road-closed.html.
"Station Fire." Incident Information System. 10 Nov. 2009 http://www.inciweb.org/incident/1856/.
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