Results tagged “evacuation”

Amid cooler weather, firefighters continued to increase containment on the 7,128-acre Sheep Fire today. However, the low-pressure system that brought record lows to Southern California this week is moving out, which will increase temperatures starting tomorrow. Containment, currently at 85 percent, is still expected by Saturday, according to officials tonight.

   

An 8.0 earthquake in American Samoa this morning prompted a tsunami watch in Hawaii and a tsunami advisory for coastal areas of Southern California, including Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. [Update: Beaches in LA County will close at 8 p.m., more info here]

A fire burning in Redlands within San Bernardino County has scorched at least 5 acres, according to Carl Baker with Redlands Fire Department, who spoke to KNX1070. As of 2:45 p.m., no structures had burned, but some were threatened. Evacuations have been ordered along Sunset, west of Helen in addition to homes on Edgemont and Fairmont. More evacuations had been ordered, but Baker was unaware of specifics at the time of the interview. "If this grows and continues, certainly we'll be setting up an evacuation center," he said. The blaze began around 1:45 p.m.

The Guiberson Fire is moving quickly towards more homes, prompting more evacuations and road closures in Ventura County. The newest evacuation is for the Meridian Hills area. "Affected dwellings include neighborhoods south of Broadway Road west from Walnut Canyon Road to Balcom Cyn Road," according to the Ventura County Sheriff's Department. "Residents in the affected areas can expect a Reverse 911 telephone call alerting them to the evacuation orders."

Evacuation enters have already been established as the fast-moving Guiberson Fire burns through brush in eastern Ventura County between Moorpark and Fillmore. "Affected person can go to the Goebal Senior Center at 1385 Janss Road in Thousand Oaks for shelter," according to a Ventura County Sheriff's Department advisory.

As firefighters get a better handle on the Station Fire, evacuations are lifted and shelters close. Two remain open, the Red Cross announced today. One at Verdugo Hills High School in the L.A. neighborhood of Tujunga (10625 Plainview Avenue, Tujunga, CA 91042) and the other at Golden Valley High School in Santa Clarita (27051 Robert C. Lee Parkway, Newhall, CA 91350). Since the beginning of the Station Fire last week Wednesday, the Red Cross has sheltered more than 700 people at seven shelters across the Los Angles region with the help of 500 volunteers. The organization estimates that they served 5,100 meals, 8,600 snacks and 525 comfort kits (containing a toothbrush and other personal hygiene items). Dozens of clean-up kits for homes were also given away.

The Station Fire, now the largest wildfire in LA County modern history, has burned through 144,743 acres (about 226 square miles) and is 38 percent contained. Although much progress has been made, early this morning, 15 to 20 homes in the Dillion Divide near Pacoima Canyon went under a mandatory evacuation. 64 homes have been destroyed along with 49 outbuildings. So far, the fight has cost around $27 million. There have been a handful of injuries, but most devastating has been the loss of two firemen.

[Update, 4:55 p.m.: All Station Fire mandatory evacuations have been lifted in La Cañada Flintridge and La Crescenta except one area, says Bruce Quintelier of the Forest Service. The area still under an evacuation order is north of Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell with a voluntary evacuation from Santa Carlotta to Markridge between Pennsylvania and Lowell. See a map below]

              

La Crescenta is an unincorporated part of Los Angeles County, though some parts are considered Glendale, and is often co-mingled in reference with neighboring communities like La Cañada-Flintridge and Montrose. The foothill community has risen to the collective local and national attention since last week when it became one of the initial areas immediately affected by the Station Fire.

       

These numbers are expected to change significantly by morning, but the Station Fire stands at 42,500 acres with 5 percent containment, according to officials. 2,575 personnel have responded, leaving four injured and two dead. 18 homes have been lost.

"The City of La Canada Flintridge advises that evacuation orders were lifted at noon for most of the evacuated area in the Station Fire area, including the area from Arroyo Seco on the east to Angeles Crest Highway, and then continuing west to Palm Drive. Evacuation orders are still in effect for the portion of La Canada Flintridge west of Palm Drive and north of Olive Lane," reports KTLA. The threat of the fire seems to have subsided from several portions of the area, although the fire has not grown smaller, but rather moved to the northwest, and is now burning within 3 miles of Acton.

At around 10:40 a.m. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger held a press conference at Hansen Dam regarding the Station Fire, and other fires currently affecting the state. Just home to California following yesterday's funeral services for his wife's uncle, Sen. Edward Kennedy, Schwarzenegger spoke immediately of his wish to continue to work to ensure the safety of lives, property, and memories.

The Station Fire, which began on Thursday in the Angeles National Forest, made short work of tearing through the hilly acreage of the San Gabriel foothills that haven't burned in decades. Now estimated at over 20,000 acres in size, the fire is moving northward currently, and is expected to pose a threat to the community of Acton, according to an abc7 live newscast.

The following evacuation orders are currently in place in the Glendale-La Crescenta-La Cañada-Altadena areas due to the Station Fire, according to InciWeb:
• Mandatory evacuations in the City of Glendale north of Santa Carlotta St between Lowell and Pennsylvania. A new evacuation center is located at the Civic Auditorium at 1401 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale, CA 91208.
• Mandatory evacuations in Big Tujunga Canyon between County Camp #15 and the Ranger Station as well as Camp Colby which is located at 23828 Angeles Crest Highway.
• Mandatory evacuations include east of Ocean View Blvd, north to High Rim Rd and south to Fairhurst Drive.

The Station Fire continues to rage under the blazing sun and on tough terrain. Evacuations of Big Tujunga Canyon have been ordered for the "Western portion of the fire just north of Mt Luken" according to the CalFireNews Twitter feed. Currently the following areas are also under mandatory evacuation notice, per KNX1070:

Evening Canyon Dr., Bay Tree Rd., Briartree Dr., Summit Crest Dr., Bramblewood Rd., Alder Ridge Dr., Catherwood Drive., Greenridge Dr., Forest Green Dr. Ridge Court, and Starlight Crest Drive.

Continue reading "Evacuation of Big Tujunga Canyon Ordered Due to Station Fire*"

Angeles National Forest officials are reporting this afternoon that the Station Fire is also crawling eastward from La Canada Flintridge towards north of Altadena in addition to its west- and northwardly directions. Areas such as Big Tujunga Canyon, Brown Canyon and Brown Mountain are affected. No evacuations of any kind have been ordered for Altadena, but authorities say it's a good idea to prepare and keep alert.

The fire that begun last night in Rancho Palos Verdes quickly prompted the exodus of thousands of people last night, but today firefighters got an upper hand containing the 230-acre blaze to 70 percent, as of noon, said Inspector Fredric Stowers of LA County Fire over the phone. Evacuation orders were lifted around 11:30 a.m., but residents will have to show their ID to gain entry into neighborhoods. However, some roads will be closed to everyone "as to not hamper the efforts of the firefighters," explained Stowers. He said three homes have been damaged in the Rolling Hills area with two outbuildings completely lost--a shed and a gazebo.

The fire in Rancho Palos Verdes has burned more than 75 acres and has prompted the evacuation of up to 3,000 people, said officials with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. A fire has not burned in the area since the 1950s. The blaze began around 8 p.m. and within an hour, had already consumed a couple homes. Officials do not know how much of the fire is contained, if any.

As a fast moving fire moves through Rancho Palos Verdes, already burning at least two homes, Palos Verdes Peninsula High School has been set as the evacuation center, according to Vanessa Bezic, a journalist, on Twitter. The school is located at 21178 Silver Spur Road in Rolling Hills Estates. The fire began around 8 p.m. around Portuguese Bend and other areas, the LA Times reported. UPDATE, 11:06 p.m.: "Large animal evacs Ernie J. Howlett Park in Rolling Hills Estates," reports LATimesFires on Twitter. UPDATE, 11:28 p.m.: Evacuated streets are Portuguese Bend, Amber Sky Drive and Crest Road.

The 350-acre Station Fire shifted directions this evening back down the hill towards the Angeles Crest Fire Station and La Cañada Flintridge, according to Forest Service officials. "They're going to try to squash that as quickly as possible," said Rachel Mailo, a Fire Information Officer with the Angeles National Forest, over the phone. The LA Times notes that If it does reach the station, residential neighborhoods are about one mile further.

As the Morris Fire continues to burn in the San Gabriel Canyon of the Angeles National Forest, a spot fire that has developed on the eastside of the San Gabriel River has officials concerned. "It's becoming very active now," explained Robert Brady, a Fire Information Officer with the Forest Service. He said there's more dry fuel for the blaze on that side of the river.

     

Firefighters continue to battle the brush fire that is burning in the hills adjacent to the Getty Center, though they are limited to working from the air due to the terrain.

Oh, the terrible Newport-Inglewood, you've yet to forsake us. Yesterday's mild 4.1 earthquake caused 18 people to be displaced at the Locust Avenue apartments in Long Beach.

As rain lightens throughout the region, mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted in fire burn areas except one neighborhood in Yorba Linda. Shortly after 10:30 a.m., Orange County officials lifted the evacuation orders for the Box Canyon, Brush Canyon and San Antonio neighborhoods. All those are now under voluntary evacuation except for North Fairmont, which remains mandatory as of 1:15 p.m. In Santa Barbara, the evacuation orders from last night have been lifted as well. "This warning will remain in effect until 10:00pm November 26 to coincide with the end of the Flash Flood Watch period issued by the National Weather Service," emergency officials said.

Worries of mudslides after more rain than typical for a November in Orange County prompted early morning mandatory evacuations in some Yorba Linda neighborhoods. An estimated 1,500 people were told to evacuate in Box Canyon, Brush Canyon and the neighborhoods near North Fairmont and San Antonio.

Due the heavy rains, Santa Barbara County and City emergency officials have issued an Evacuation Order for residents within the Tea Fire Burn Area, including the Sycamore Creek area and other areas immediately below the fire zone. The order means residents are advised to leave the area now. Continue reading...

As the Sayre Fire moves northward further into the Santa Clarita Valley and in Placerita Canyon, there is some good news for residents of the San Fernando Valley affected by the blaze.

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Two wildfires continue to burn, one in Corona near the 91 Riverside Freeway and Green River and one in Yorba Linda in the Gypsum Canyon area. It is believed that the fire jumped from its start point near Corona and ignited the brush in Yorba Linda, and may in fact have merged into one flank of fire. The fire has consumed over 800 acres, and officials are saying they believe 12 homes have been burned, although some are estimating the total between the two fires to be 16. "Two Corona firefighters were slightly injured when flames engulfed their engine," reports KFWB. Area residents remain under evacuation orders as winds continue to drive the flames through the neighborhood. The 91 Freeway is closed in both directions in the Corona area and there are reports of people stuck on the freeway in total gridlock.