Station Fire Status

The originally planned firing operation below the Mt. Wilson area and from Cogswell Dam north to the Angeles Crest Highway were suspended for another day due to weather and burning conditions. The general route of this planned burn goes northerly from Cogswell Dam, parallel to Chileno Canyon toward Twin Peaks and Mt. Waterman. Some additional improvement of pre-treatment control lines is required to be fully anchored to other fire lines and appropriate natural barriers.

Air tankers and helicopters are committed in support of Wednesday's operation. Aggressive patrol and mop-up will continue along Angeles Forest Highway 2, westerly around to Mendenhall Peak, southerly to the Tujunga Canyons following along the fire perimeter easterly to Inspiration Point.

Suppression repair needs are being inventoried in all of the active patrol area. Mop-up continues for 300-feet in from the control fire lines. Smoke may continue to be seen these areas for a few days, and while the fire line is secure, continual mop-up and patrol will be needed for quite a few days ahead.

The Station Fire Incident Command Post completed it's move yesterday from Hansen Dam Recreation Area to the Santa Fe Dam Recreation Area at 15501 E. Arrow Hwy. Irwindale, CA 91706. When you think about a fire camp, consider the moving part: all kinds of vehicles, crew buggies, tractor trailers containing shower and food preparation units, the wiring to connect each trailer with telephones, electricity, internet, a water source, place to camp and park trailers, mobile sleeping units. That's a lot of synchronicity, and that does not include the partridge in the pear tree.

One of the most important criteria for selecting a fire camp and Incident Command Post is water, if drinking and bathing water are not available in a location, hauling water will be an elaborate and fundamental expense. Another criteria for a fire camp is power to drive the plethora of communication equipment necessary to organize the fire suppression mission. This equipment needs to be dry and as dust free as possible. This is often easier said than done, even with dust abatement trucks spraying dirt and gravel roads periodically to minimize dust. Places for personnel to pitch tents are needed. If a fire camp needs to expand or be reduced relocation may be necessary. Often schools and parks are used as water, electricity, and areas to camp are available.

Once a resource is identified as a suitable fire camp location, an agreement is negotiated by a Procurement Officer of the agency where the fire is located. This is called a Land Use Agreement. The reason a fire camp can suddenly appear and disappear smoothly is a qualified Logistics Chief. Training makes it possible to organize a small town, even if it's temporary firecamp for 4,687 people and 300 +vehicles.

It has been determined that the cause of the Station Fire is arson and is now a homicide investigation If you have any information or questions please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department at 323-573-2387.

There will be a Memorial Service for Los Angeles County Fire Department Firefighters, Fire Captain Tedmund “Ted” Hall and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10:00 a.m., at Dodger Stadium.

The Station Fire ,named for its initial proximity to a USFS Ranger Station. The Station Fire has burned over 250 square miles of land within the Angeles National Forest and near surrounding foothill communities including La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon, Pasadena, Glendale and Sierra Madre. The goal of the Incident Management Team is to keep the fire west of Highway 39 and Angeles Crest Highway, east of Interstate 5, south of Highway 14, Pearblossom Highway, and Highway 138, and north of the foothill communities and the Angeles National Forest Boundary. The fire is moving into areas of the forest with no recorded fire history. The Station Fire is now the 10th largest fire in California since 1933. For a current fire perimeter map, on Google Earth, Station Fire Perimeter And a progression map is available at progression map.

The Angeles National Forest call center is being staffed 24 hrs a day. For additional information, please call 626-821-6700.