Fire crests hill, 300 acres burned, evacuations pending

As firefighters continue to battle the Station fire, which crested the hill Thursday and appeared shortly after 12 p.m. to be headed toward La Cañada, city officials said no structures have been  threatened, nor have any evacuations been ordered.

“There are no plans to implement an evacuation yet,” Kevin Chun, director of Administrative Services for the city of La Cañada Flintridge, said at 2:30 p.m.  Administrative Techniciain for La Cañada Flintridge Arabo Parseghian confirmed this again at 6:45 p.m.

As of 9:15 p.m., though, Sgt. Gary Ogureck of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff's Station said evacuations are pending.

"There are pending evacuations," Ogureck said. "These evacuations are north of Starlight Crest on Angeles Crest Highway, on the sidestreets."

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Capt. Bruce Davis of Los Angeles County Fire Dept. Station 19 in La Cañada confirmed there were no homes threatened as of early this afternoon. “We’re trying to hold it at the crest [of the mountain range],” Davis said, adding that the department is “hoping there’s no wind” that might drive the blaze into the city.

According to Shaun Rollman, spokesman for the U.S. Forest Services, estimations made at 3:45 p.m. have over 300 acres burned with only 10% of the fire contained. 

However, "the fire hasn't crossed over any fire breaks set, so that's good," Parseghian said.

Peter Castro, public safety coordinator for the city of La Cañada Flintridge, said a reverse 911 system is in place that will automatically dial all land phone lines in affected homes should evacuations become necessary.

The fire started at approximately 3:20 p.m. Wednesday at mile marker 29 on Angeles Crest Highway, according to Sherry Rollman, public affairs officer for the Angeles National Forest.

Rollman reported that approximately 410 fire personnel were battling the fire and that four helicopters and one air tanker were employed. The lead agency is the U.S. Forest Service, with support from Los Angeles County Fire and Sheriff’s departments, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans and Los Angeles City Fire Department.

Some residents are keeping a wary eye on the direction the fire is taking. Forrest Brakeman, whose home is on Harter Lane in La Cañada, said he is prepared should an evacuation be ordered.

“I sent my wife and daughters off to a water park,” said Brakeman, “and told them I would stay for the fire. It’s a little unnerving, to say the least. I can see the orange reflection of the flames on the bottoms of the smoke. The bomber runs are exciting.

“We are packed and ready to go, just in case.”

Life continued as usual, for others. Mark Saatzer, a golf pro at La Cañada Flintridge Country Club who’s been working at the pro shop for 25 years, said that, despite the smoke and ashes falling down own the course, he’d seen about two dozen people playing golf this morning, which is about normal.

“I don’t think anyone isn’t playing who normally does,” Saatzer said. “The wind is going the other direction, but there’s been quite a bit of ash.

“There have been fires closer that have been worse. We had one about two years ago and a huge one about 10 years ago that was real close in by the houses. It was really scary.”