Zach Behrens

Tom Andrews/LAist 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. "Some of this area hasn't...

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa later today intends to nominate Battalion Chief Millage Peaks to head the Los Angeles Fire Department, according to sources close to the department speaking under the condition of anonymity. Peaks, a 33-year veteran of the department will replace Chief Barry Douglas, who will retire this weekend. Currently the Chief of Battalion 4 (LAX, Venice and other Pacific coast and inland neighborhoods), Peaks joined the department in 1976 and was promoted to be a captain in 1984. Eight years later, he became a Battalion Chief in South L.A.

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...

Photo by R. E. ~ via LAist Featured Photos on Flickr A girl kidnapped in 1991 has been found alive in Northern California and whoa, it looks like she had a baby with one of her alleged captors. Ha, ha, ha! A Kentucky Fried Chicken in Palms has been converted into a medical marijuana dispensary called... Kind for Cures The latest in the Michael Jackson investigation, via NPR: "The warrant unsealed Thursday showed that...

Dan Deacon, Dillinger Escape Plan and Torche have been added to the FYF Fest line-up, which benefits California State Parks this year. For the $20 that will will go towards helping keep state parks open in California, audiences can see over 20 bands including the Black Lips, No Age, Mika Miko, Crystal Antlers, Peanut Butter Wolf, Avi Buffalo and many more. "That is 60 cents a band!!!!" organizers exclaimed in an e-mail today. Check...

Tom Andrews/LAist Adam Goldstein, better known as DJ AM, was found dead in New York City today around 2 p.m. local time. Apparently, he hadn't been seen for days until friends contacted authorities who broke down the door to his apartment. "Sources said drug paraphernalia was found in the apartment and cops are looking into whether it was an overdose," said the New York Post. Less than a year ago, Goldstein survived a plane...

Talk about timing, whether planned or not. An 11:30 p.m. e-mail from Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa's office says he will announce his nomination of a new fire chief tomorrow at 11 a.m. After 34 years--two and a half as Chief--Douglas Barry last Spring announced his retirement, taking affect on August 30th. "We have brought about a unity of purpose and have moved our Department to even higher levels of professionalism both operationally and in our...

Maybe some of the popular designer trucks like Kogi BBQ will stop by this event tomorrow that's expected to attract tons gamers. Microsoft has gone all out and modified a 27-foot M820A2 military truck outfitted with eight Xbox 360 consoles in anticipation of Halo 3: ODST, which will be released on September 22nd. It's all happening tomorrow from noon to 8 p.m. at the GameStop in Pasadena. Expect lines, so bring that sun lotion...

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...

Officers write a citation to The Green Truck | Photo by Koga/LAist It only took four minutes for the LAPD to show up after The Green Truck's General Manager, Bobby Allen, pulled up to the curb on Wilshire for the lunch hour. The truck's health permit, although paid for, was not on display because the LA County Health Department was late in sending out bills and permits, explained Allen. But officers would not accept...

Is this guy sly or what? As an international manhunt ensued, he got not one, but two women on each side of the border to help him out, sources tell the Los Angeles Times: Investigators said they are looking at whether one unidentified woman aided Ryan Jenkins when he was hiding in Washington state and a second woman helped him in British Columbia

Now that officials have been forced to raise fees at state parks in order to save some of them, a thrifty blogger at the Orange County Register's OC Deals blog makes a good observation. Looking into beachfront family campsites with hookups at Bolsa Chica State Beach, Doheny and San Clemente is running $60 to $65. "I recently bought a new tent and cot to go back to nature, and save money on vacations by...