Environment

La Canada Fires Grow: Station Fire Update, Map, Evacuations

by Amy Judd | August 29, 2009 at 01:34 pm

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The La Canada Fire has grown overnight as temperatures top 100 degrees and the Angeles Forest continues to burn due to lack of rain.

Map of the Los Angeles County fires north of La Canada Flintridge, Altadena.

The Station Fire, which is currently at about 7,000 acres in size, in the La Canada Flintridge area has now forced evacuations of the Altadena neighborhoods, and along Oceanview Boulevard.

Mandatory evacuation zones are now in La Canada Flintridge, Palos Verdes Peninsula, Azusa, Hemet, and Altadena (map and details)

People have very little time to evacuate their homes and are being asked to take only the essentials with them.

"All of a sudden, it flared up," said Bruce Quintelier, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service. Earlier this morning the flames were creeping through canyons and hillsides, and the flames are beggining to approach homes in both La Cañada Flintridge near Highway 2 and the Meadows neighborhood between two canyons on the northwestern tip of Altadena.

The smoke has made for even poorer air quality in the region, and nearby residents can see plumes of smoke and ash falling from the sky. The fire is only 5% contained at the moment.

About 2,000 homes and 52 other structures are currently under threat due to the fires, although no structures have been destroyed so far. About 751 firefighters are working on the blaze, and the priority for them today is the area closest to the homes, and they are working with air tankers and shovels to try to save as many as they can.

The fire seems to have split in two directions, one moving south towards Altadena and another north, which the firefighters are trying to prevent it reaching Mount Wilson.

An evacuation center has been set up at the La Canada High School at 4463 Oak Grove Drive and the Red Cross is on hand to help.

About 10,000 acres have been destroyed so far by four major fires burning in the region. The Palos Verdes Peninsula fire is now 90% contained, and it has consumed 230 acres.

The Hemet fire near the San Bernardino National Forest is about 10% contained but is not close to any structures, but it has burned 2,200 acres. Mandatory evacuations for that area have been lifted.

The Morris Fire, near the San Gabriel Canyon Road has burned 2,000 acres and is now 85% contained, but voluntary evacuations are still in effect for the North Fork of the San Gabriel River.

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