Hundreds find respite in evacuation center

Local residents heeding orders Saturday to leave the path of the Station fire found shelter and a place to put their pets at La Cañada High School on Oak Grove Drive, where the Red Cross operated an evacuation center and the Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA cared for animals.

“Fifty people came here last night and hundreds have been coming in and out,” Mary Schnecter, Red Cross public information officer, said Saturday afternoon. “They’re just getting some water and something to eat. This is a place where people can come in and think about what to do next.”

The fire continued to spread over La Cañada on Saturday as streets on Oceanview Boulevard, Palm Drive, Alta Canyada Road and La Cañada Boulevard were closed down. Though the fire has significantly calmed in the area since yesterday, sporadic bursts in the area have hit close to houses.

Some of the residents checking in at the evacuation center were unsure of their next step.

Joseph and Bonnie Robinson, brother and sister who both graduated from La Cañada High (Joseph in 2001, Bonnie in 2005), were evacuated from their home on Alta Canyada at Linda Vista at 2:30 a.m. Saturday.

“Never thought I’d spend the night in this gym,” Bonnie Robinson joked. “We spent the night here, it was fine. We couldn’t really sleep.”

“We’re checking updates every hour trying to figure out where we are,” Joseph said. “We’re a little worried. We don’t really know what the next step is.”

“There’s nothing to do, really,” Bonnie said about staying in the gym. “You’re just waiting.”

The Robinsons have two dogs and three cats, all of whom they brought to the Pasadena SPCA station at LCHS.

Steve McNall, president and CEO of Pasadena SPCA, was on hand to ensure things were running smoothly.

By late afternoon Saturday, the Pasadena SPCA had received more than 120 pets, not including the red-tailed hawk, a California turkey vulture, a bobcat and 48 white doves rescued from the Clear Creek Education Center.

“Red Cross is taking care of the people and we’re taking care of the pets,” McNall said. “Right now, we’re maxxed out at the Pasadena shelter. We’re out of space.”

McNall urged residents of La Crescenta and Montrose to take their pets to the SPCA station in Glendale on 1401 N. Verdugo Road, at the Civic Center.

Altadena residents should take their pets to the LA County Animal Control set-up in Altadena on Loma Alta and Lincoln.

“Tujunga people have to go to Van Nuys to the East Valley Center,” McNall said. “La Crescenta people should go to the Verdugo center in Glendale."

McNall said residents are welcome to drop off their animals at any time. He asked that they make sure their pets are wearing proper identification tags.

Hannah Levin, 17, and her little brother Alex, 9, were both evacuated from their home on Starlight Crest Drive near JPL and brought their two dogs, Archie and Hershey, to the SPCA station.

Archie and Hershey sat in crates while waiting for their taxi vehicle to arrive.

“It’s a pretty stressful time,” said Hannah Levin. “I know a couple of houses were hit [by Angeles Crest and Starlight Crest] and it was starting to come down. The cops just told us to leave.”

Hannah and Alex, along with their parents, will sleep in a hotel for the foreseeable future.

“This is scary stuff,” said Hannah Levin.