The top news stories of 2009...

A fatal traffic accident, the Station fire, a murder-suicide, elections, mudslides — in many ways 2009 has been a historic year for La Cañada Flintridge. The city has made headlines more frequently in the past 12 months than any year since its founding in 1976. Below are the top five news stories for 2009.

Station fire begins near LCF, chars Angeles National Forest

It took just 48 hours for a small blaze, ignited on Aug. 26 along Angeles Crest Highway, to evolve into a searing forest fire that would go on to burn 168,000 acres, destroy 100 structures and claim the lives of two county firefighters.

The Station fire held La Cañada Flintridge hostage for five days, forcing the evacuation of 750 households and burning within a few dozen yards of property lines. Thick clouds of smoke rained down ash on the city, obscuring visibility and making breathing difficult.

More than 4,000 firefighters from around the country battled the blaze.

“It was staggering to watch this fire climb toward homes at 1 a.m. with a line of firefighters ready to do battle,” Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) said.

By Sept. 2, the threat to La Cañada had passed, although the fire continued to burn in the San Gabriel Mountains for several more weeks.

“Communication was paramount,” said Captain Dave Silversparre of the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station. “When we got everything organized, the coordination between the city, the Sheriff’s Station, the U.S. Forest Services, the fire department and the U.S. Geological Survey was tremendous.”

In the wake of the fire La Cañadans donated thousands of dollars to several firefighter funds in a show of appreciation for the firefighters’ efforts.

An arson investigation is ongoing.

Runaway car carrier kills two, injures others

The scene at the intersection of Angeles Crest Highway and Foothill Boulevard on April 1 wasn’t unfamiliar — a commercial truck, skid marks and smashed cars. Just months after an onion truck lost its breaks and barreled into a parking lot full of vehicles, it had happened again.

This time, however, the accident would prove deadly. A car carrier lost control coming down the highway and struck five vehicles before smashing into the Flintridge Bookstore and Coffeehouse. The accident sent seven people to the hospital. Angel Posca, 58, and his 12-year-old daughter, Angelina, both of Palmdale, were killed.