The woman who pepper-sprayed other Walmart shoppers in Porter Ranch angling to get a Black Friday deal on an Xbox has lawyered up for a possible suit against Walmart. Now her lawyer is speaking out and offering up the pepper-sprayer's side of the story: she did it for the children. more ›

The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office revealed today they will not seek charges against a woman who allegedly used pepper spray on her fellow shoppers at a Porter Ranch Wal-Mart during their Black Friday pre-sale event. more ›

Self-defense is just one of the possible motives detectives with the Los Angeles Police Department are considering to determine just why a woman used pepper spray to ward off fellow shoppers at the Porter Ranch Wal-Mart during their Black Friday pre-sale last Thursday night. more ›

Police might not seek any charges against a woman who pepper-sprayed Black Friday crowds at a Porter Ranch Walmart, bought an Xbox and left the store. more ›

The extreme competitive shopper who used pepper spray on other Porter Ranch Wal-Mart shoppers to guard the products on her Black Friday list turned herself in to authorities on Friday night. After injuring about 20 shoppers - including kids - around 10:20pm on Thursday during the store's Black Friday sale, the woman exited Wal-Mart with her purchased prize: an Xbox. more ›

The Los Angeles Police Department are releasing more details about the woman suspected of fending off rival shoppers at a late night Wal-Mart door buster sale by using pepper spray. more ›

A woman looking to get access to more "door buster" sale items at the Porter Ranch Wal-Mart late last night used pepper spray on other customers to keep them away from the products she wanted. 20 people, including some kids, were hurt. more ›

A fire is burning in the Porter Ranch area this afternoon, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. At 1:50 p.m. a half-acre brush fire north of the 19100 block of Sesnon Boulevard prompted officials to call for additional firefighters. By 2 p.m., the northwest-moving blaze had consumed to two to three acres of "light brush," said LAFD Spokesperson Erik Scott. The area burned two years ago in the a large 14,000 acre fire dubbed the Sesnon Fire. [Update, 2:40 p.m: The fire has grown to 15 acres. Update 2:43 p.m: Approximately 100 firefighters are on scene. There is currently no active flame, but personnel is not calling a knock down yet. Update, 2:56 p.m: The fire has been knockdown. ] more ›

When a bear sitting some 15 feet high in a tree was shot with a tranquilizer this morning in Porter Ranch, it fell onto a safety cushion that firefighters placed below. The situation was nothing unusual, but the photo LA Times photographer Lawrence K. Ho captured was amazingly cartoony (we love it!) Check out a larger version here. more ›

We often hear of bears in the foothill neighborhoods of San Gabriel Valley or in Ventura County, but it's not too often we get reports of one within Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Fire Department this morning is reporting a bear, possibly 90 pounds, sitting 15 feet up in a Pine Tree in Porter Ranch. more ›

A 1.5 magnitude earthquake shook in the Santa Susana Mountains, north of Granada Hills, Porter Ranch and Chatsworth, this morning. The 9:41 a.m. shaker is considered a microquake and is usually only felt by those extremely close to the epicenter. Another quake, measuring the same size, was reported in Claremont last night at 7:08 p.m. more ›

An odor emanating in the northern San Fernando Valley prompted numerous calls to 9-1-1 this morning, beginning at 6:30 a.m. more ›

It's one of the city of Los Angeles' better ideas: an interconnecting network of trails in the equestrian friendly Northwest Valley. The 117-acre Palisades Park--not to be confused with the one in Pacific Palisades or in Santa Monica--is one of the many, stretching close to three and a half miles from Tampa Boulevard to Reseda Boulevard between the Limekiln Canyon Trail and the ones in Eddleston and Aliso Canyon parks. more ›

Whether it's walking, running, riding a bike or a horse, Limekiln Canyon is one of Porter Ranch's great secrets (and just one of the many connecting recreational trails). For over a mile and a half along and below Tampa Avenue between Rinadli and Sesnon lies the small canyon where residents enjoy one of LA's best assets--nature. Here's a little of how it looks. more ›

Residents in Porter Ranch woke up this morning to a light layer of snow above them in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains. It was only a few months ago when a wildfire raged through these hills. Ahhhh, such is life in the Valley. more ›

As part of the unified command set up yesterday in Los Angeles to combat the Sayre Fire, the LAPD had 150-200 officers on hand to assist evacuees and to patrol the evacuated areas once the fire was out. In Porter Ranch, at least one homeowner reported looting, as he returned to his property to check on his doors, and found two women taking his belongings from his home. more ›

A smoldering fire was knockedown shortly before 8:30 a.m. this morning in Browns Canyon north of Chatsworth inside the burn area of the Sesnon Fire. The fire was not an immediate threat, Brian Humphrey of the LA Fire Department said, but to make sure it didn't become one, they sent a few engines and helicopters to soak it down. The fire, which was first reported at 7:14 a.m., had no visible flames and was burning under decomposing vegetation such as weeds, leaves, tree roots and branches. more ›

The 20-acre Sierra Fire near Corona and Yorba Linda in Orange County was fully contained this afternoon after a 20-hour fight. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. The Sesnon Fire that began near Porter Ranch on Monday has greatly subsided after burning 14,125. It is currently 70% contained. Over in the Northeast Valley, the Marek Fire is close to containment at 92% after scorching 4,824 acres. more ›

After winds began to die down yesterday, the Sesnon Fire somewhat subsided last night as it burned in Simi Valley. Now 20% contained, the latest reported acreage consumed by the fire is 13,285. Around 2,300 firefighters are dedicated to the fire that began in Porter Ranch and spread to Granada Hills, Chatsworth and Simi Valley. "72 structures were damaged or destroyed, all in the Los Angeles City and County areas," the Ventura County Fire Department reports, who has lifted many of the evacuations on their side of the fire. more ›

As of this morning, here's the latest on road closures and public transit routes affected by the Sesnon and Marek Fires (things can change, if they do, they should be updated at (800) 439-2909): more ›

The Sesnon Fire that began in Porter Ranch yesterday morning has spread to Simi Valley totalling 13,285 acres and prompting mandatory evacuations. Mandatory evacuations are in effect for Tapo Canyon north of Lost Canyon, Box Canyon, Lake Manor, Lilac Lane, Santa Susanna Pass Road from the Ventura County line to Box Canyon Road, and Woolsey Canyon, according to the Ventura County Fire Department as of 5:04 p.m. Voluntary evacuations are in Bell Canyon. more ›

Whether you're a homeowner or renter, after a fire destroys your property, you'll be working with insurance to start over again (that's assuming, you have insurance, probably a good idea if you live in Southern California). "Residents need to prepare for evacuation with a 'grab and go box' containing important insurance and financial documents, a room-by-room inventory and relevant receipts," tips the Daily News. more ›

The City of Los Angeles has released these traffic advisories for the two fires. more ›

As people are dealing with the effects of the local wildfires, there are also organizations making sure the four-legged victims are being looked after. Especially since there are so many horses in the fire-stricken neighborhoods. more ›

The Santa Ana winds will worsen over the next few hours, then finally mellow out around noon. Northridge View at the 11800 block of Reseda is now under mandatory evacuation as the fire licks at the road. Edelston Park has been completely destroyed. In spite of the proximity of the fire, Cal State Northridge will be open today. The 118 West was just reopened. more ›

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's Office sent out a big press release tonight updating traffic, transit, evacuation and school information regarding the Sesnon Fire in the Northwest San Fernando Valley that's mainly affecting the Porter Ranch and Chatsworth neighborhoods and surrounding areas. All the info can be read here. more ›

Captain Henry Rodriguez of LA County Fire told KCAL9 on live TV that at least nineteen structures have burned in the Sesnon Fire that is burning in Porter Ranch, Chatsworth and outlying county areas. Map and more basic info on the Sesnon Fire can be found here. more ›

"Winds are causing fire conditions to change by the hour, which is why it is so important that residents in the areas surrounding these wildfires heed warnings from public safety officials to evacuate," Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said in preface to his emergency proclamation. "It's critical that everyone in the warning areas continue to be prepared-know what you're going to take and be ready to move very quickly if the evacuation order comes in your area. The state is coordinating with federal and local officials to ensure that firefighters have the resources they need, but with such a serious situation on our hands, we need residents to take every precaution to remain safe during this dangerous and difficult time." more ›

Fire Chief, Michael Freeman reportedly told City News Service that there "is a real possibility" the fire could make a run down toward the Pacific Coast with the wind conditions, which are expected to pick up again tonight. At a 4:30 p.m. press conference, LA County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky said that the fire "can go from [the Valley] to the ocean in a matter of two to three hours... now is the time to get prepared and be alert." Communities threatened by the current movement of the fire could be Hidden Hills, Bell Canyon, Calabasas and Agoura Hills. more ›

The two fires burning in the San Fernando Valley have neared a total of 9,000 acres. The Sesnon Fire, which began north of Porter Ranch around 10:30 a.m. this morning, has quickly grown to 3,700 acres reaching into Chatsworth with no containment reported. The Marek fire in the Northeast Valley that began early Sunday morning is at 5,000 acres with 5% containment. more ›