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mattmaxon

Station Fire Sunday August 30th

After watching this fire for some time now it has become readily apparent the fire fighting strategy is to not fight it

They let all of Yerba Buena Ridge burn to Riverwood ranch burn before trying to do anything

Haines Cyn and Pipe Cyn are now burning. Zero effort to fight it

All they are doing is structure protection

Very disheartening

They might as well go back to the station house and clock out if they are going to stand around and watch
simonov

It hasn't burned since the 1950s.  They probably reckon it's high time.  And it's not a bad time to let the burning happen, since there are only light winds.

I saw a report somewhere today that they anticipate containment a week from Tuesday.
mattmaxon

The RED areas are the most currently actively burning areas

Yeah sure let the whole thing burn... Most of it hasn't burned in a while

Just another prime example of Forest Service mismanagement

As I've always said, some of the worst things done to the Angeles has been at the hands of the FS Policies and their stupidity, from the Git Go to now.

Ranching, Mining, Timber Sales, Road Building, Homesteading, you name it

outwhere

Just got these two sentences inna email blast, the first one about 5:15, the second one, about 15 minutes later:

"As of now, there are visible flames on the front side of Sunset Ridge, NNW of Echo."

"Bad news. The Cape is burning."

---

That being 'The Cape of Good Hope' from the Mount Lowe railway fame...

Crying or Very sad  Crying or Very sad  Crying or Very sad
cougarmagic

And so goes the pavilion at Inspiration Point, which the Mt Lowe volunteers worked so hard to rebuild, and make historically accurate:

http://www.mtlowe.net/pavillion.htm
outwhere

cougarmagic wrote:
And so goes the pavilion at Inspiration Point, which the Mt Lowe volunteers worked so hard to rebuild, and make historically accurate:

http://www.mtlowe.net/pavillion.htm


Cougarmagic, is that [reasonable] speculation or have you heard that the pavilion has or is burning?

Just read this from the SG Valley Tribune:

....... Los Angeles County Fire Department Capt. Mark Savage said a strike team and engines were in place and air tankers had laid down fire retardant on the mountain directly in front of the “huge communication location.”

“It’s not a matter of if it impacts Mt. Wilson, it’s a matter of when,” he said. “Unfortunately today it was so smoky that our tankers couldn’t work anywhere near that area......

----

Yikes...

Does anyone know if the fire has gone up the Grand Canyon, just west of where the Alpine Tavern once stood?

Always wanted to get down in there... sure looked pretty when looking down on it from the Granite Gate area...
cougarmagic

outwhere wrote:
Cougarmagic, is that [reasonable] speculation or have you heard that the pavilion has or is burning?


Speculation - but the thing is made entirely of wood...so...
HikeUp

I holding out hope that it's still there...
outwhere

Oh, now that I look a bit closer at the map provided by mattmaxon, looks like most of Mt. Lowe Railway area has been burned to some degree.

Is it safe to say that those areas shaded in the orangish/peachish color are areas that have already burned?

And if so, is it also safe to assume that burned means, nothing left but ash?

Damn, that would be sad, that area around Granite Gate was gorgeous.
Crying or Very sad  Crying or Very sad  Crying or Very sad
cougarmagic

I just got this email from Brian Marcroft, who runs the Mt Lowe volunteers:

"Fire at cape and circular bridge. they were fighting another fire at sunset point near granite gate. It appears that they stopped the fire in millard at about granite gate"

Maybe those beautiful pines near the camp are OK.
HikeUp

Inspiration Point is still standing as of 7:00 pm Sunday night. Very Happy

My 12x zoom on a point and shoot can't pick it up clearly, but through my binoculars I was able to clearly see it standing proud still (full size)


I saw rather large flames on Mt. Lowes SSW flanks.

I took picture from corner of Santa Rosa Ave and Poppyfields Dr (NW of Altadena and Lake a block or two).
Mike P

Re: Station Fire Sunday August 30th

mattmaxon wrote:
After watching this fire for some time now it has become readily apparent the fire fighting strategy is to not fight it

They let all of Yerba Buena Ridge burn to Riverwood ranch burn before trying to do anything

Haines Cyn and Pipe Cyn are now burning. Zero effort to fight it

All they are doing is structure protection

Very disheartening

They might as well go back to the station house and clock out if they are going to stand around and watch


Hmmm... maybe the fire guys know something about the dangers of this fire. Do you think it is worth putting boots on the ground and have them injured or killed trying to save decades-old chaparral? Some of the areas you mentioned are difficult to get to.
Hikin_Jim

HikeUp wrote:
I saw rather large flames on Mt. Lowes SSW flanks.
Oh, yeah; you've got that right.
Mike P

Dang it! Too late about firefighter deaths. Two were killed today... reportedly on Mount Wilson:

http://cbs2.com/firewatch/Fire.Watch.Angeles.2.1152524.html

Hopefully, this is just misinformation from the fire truck rollover near Mt Gleason.
HikeUp

Hikin_Jim wrote:
HikeUp wrote:
I saw rather large flames on Mt. Lowes SSW flanks.
Oh, yeah; you've got that right.

I mean within a hundred feet of the peak or so, directly behind Inspiration Point in my picture (if it was at all in focus)!!! I need a digital SLR!!! Argh!

Anyway, it either came up Grand Cyn. to that point or is spilling over southward from Bear Cyn. and trying to get into the Eaton Cyn watershed. Looks like the entire Arroyo Seco watershed is toast except (maybe, hopefully) upper part of Grand Cyn.
HikeUp

Mike P wrote:
Dang it! Too late about firefighter deaths. Two were killed today... reportedly on Mount Wilson:

http://cbs2.com/firewatch/Fire.Watch.Angeles.2.1152524.html


1070 was reporting a 'rig' turnover on Mt. Gleason sometime in the 6 o'clock hour tonight.
Hikin_Jim

HikeUp wrote:
Hikin_Jim wrote:
HikeUp wrote:
I saw rather large flames on Mt. Lowes SSW flanks.
Oh, yeah; you've got that right.

I mean within a hundred feet of the peak or so, directly behind Inspiration Point in my picture (if it was at all in focus)!!! I need a digital SLR!!! Argh!

Anyway, it either came up Grand Cyn. to that point or is spilling over southward from Bear Cyn. and trying to get into the Eaton Cyn watershed. Looks like the entire Arroyo Seco watershed is toast except (maybe, hopefully) upper part of Grand Cyn.
So, sounds like Switzers and Bear Canyon are pretty much toast?  Crap.
Mike P

I suspect the Angeles Crest 100 will be no-go on Sept 19 as much of the lower trail (Prieto, Millard, Sam Merrill) is gone. I work the Newcomb Saddle Aid Station. I'm hoping it is still there in the morning.
Mike P

HikeUp wrote:
Mike P wrote:
Dang it! Too late about firefighter deaths. Two were killed today... reportedly on Mount Wilson:

http://cbs2.com/firewatch/Fire.Watch.Angeles.2.1152524.html


1070 was reporting a 'rig' turnover on Mt. Gleason sometime in the 6 o'clock hour tonight.


Yup, I'm hoping it's the truck turnover.
HikeUp

Now reporting 2 died when truck went off road on Gleason. Very sad.

Mt. Lowe seems to be burning if you can get the Mt. Wilson cam to load. I can see flames in the upper reaches of Eaton Cyn. near Mt. Lowe. This has to be the biggest fire ever for this mtn. range doesn't it?
Funyan005

Either Mt. Wilson is burning, or the feed from the camera is gone. Can't get it to load anymore. Hope for the best

Edit! Nm! Firefighters still there so must be just slow loading
simonov

Funyan005 wrote:
Either Mt. Wilson is burning, or the feed from the camera is gone. Can't get it to load anymore. Hope for the best

Edit! Nm! Firefighters still there so must be just slow loading


It's been slow loading all weekend.  I suspect the server is being hammered by hits right now.
edenooch

is echo mountain and ins pt still alive?
AlanK

edenooch wrote:
is echo mountain and ins pt still alive?

The perimeter from this morning that Matt provided shows Echo just south of the fire and Inspiration Point inside the perimeter.
mattmaxon

edenooch wrote:
is echo mountain and ins pt still alive?


The outlook is very grim for the foreseeable future

I've given up trying to predict what this monster is going to do, and have written off most of the western half of the Angeles as this is what the fire "managers" have done.

We'll just have to wait and see what is left when it is out in a few months

There will be small victories but this is the worst fire the Angeles has ever seen bar none

You take the 4 worst fires ever and roll them together and you'll get some idea of just how massive this is.

Ain't Global Climate Change GREAT!

I personally am grieving for my backyard playground I'm at Stage 5 Acceptance
Hikin_Jim

mattmaxon wrote:
I personally am grieving for my backyard playground I'm at Stage 5 Acceptance
Crap.  I think I'm still in denial.  Too many of my favorite spots:  Trail Canyon, Haines Canyon, Switzer's, Mt. Lowe, ... I could go on.  

Crap.
mattmaxon

Some over the Cresenta Valley & Tujunga

Yeah I'm nuts I went for a hike in the smoke on sunday

Here is a video showing the Smoke


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