Results tagged “Altadena” from Crime Scene
No this is not a crime story. Just wanted to point out a nice article in the LA Times this morning about Timothy Rutt's altadenablog.
Rutt's blog defines Altadena and perhaps the future of community journalism.
Way to go Tim.
Incident Overview
Station Fire Information
August 31, 2009 9:00 a.m.
Fire Status
Fire Name: Station
Geographic Location: Highway 2 North of La Canada - Flintridge, CA
Acres Burned: 85,760
Start Date: August 26, 2009
Time: 3:20 p.m.
Percent Contained: 5%
Estimated Containment Date: 9/15/09
Cause: Under Investigation
Injuries: 3
Threatened:12,000
Commercial Buildings Threatened: 500
Structures Destroyed: 18
Resourses
Cooperators: Forest Service (Lead Agency) with support from Los Angeles County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Sherriffs Department, California State Highway Patrol, Cal Trans, Los Angeles City Fire Department
Approximate Personnel Assigned: 2,575
Helitankers 7
Helicopters 6
Air Tanker 8 (3 additional available as needed)
Engines 290
Hand Crews 54
Dozers 52
Summary: The Station Fire continues to burn within the Angeles National Forest and near surrounding foothill communities of La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon, Pasadena and Glendale. The goals of the firefighters are 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. Steep terrain, decadent old growth brush and hot dry weather are factors that drive fire activity. Firefighters are working to build fireline and protect structures within areas affected by the fire.
Evacuations:
North Side Mandatory
Chantry Flats: evacuations of the Chantry Flats area effective as of 10:00 am
Acton Area: There has been a mandatory evacuation of Soledad Canyon Rd. between Agua Dulce Canyon Rd. and Crown Valley Rd. There is a mandatory evacuation of the area bounded by Soledad Canyon Rd, Aliso Canyon Rd. and Angeles Forest Highway.
National Forest: Soledad Canyon Rd./Bootlegger Canyon Rd. Area AND Little Rock Recreation Area Mount Emma Rd. and Cheseboro Rd.
South Side Mandatory
National Forest: There has been mandatory evacuation of the area along Big Tujunga Canyon Rd. from Mount Gleason to Angeles Forest Highway.
There has been a mandatory evacuation along Little Tujunga Canyon Rd. north of the Little Tujunga Ranger Station and Gold Creek.
La Crescenta: Vicinity of Rosemont, La Crescenta, and Ramsdale AND north of Rockedell, Pineridge, Mountain Pine, and Markridge Rd.
La Canada Flintridge: There has been a mandatory evacuation of all streets east of Ocean View Blvd. and north of Los Amigos St. In addition, all streets north of Jessen Drive and Palm Drive have been evacuated as well. There has been a mandatory evacuation of all streets located west of Briggs Ave. and east of Pennsylvania Ave., in between Harmony Pl. and the foothills. There has been a mandatory evacuation of all streets north of Rockdell St. between Briggs Av. And Pine Glenn Rd.
Altadena: There has been a mandatory evacuation of all streets north of Loma Alta Dr., located between Lincoln Ave. and Lake Ave. In addition, all streets located in "The Meadows" have been evacuated as well. "The Meadows" consists of all streets located above Loma Alta Dr. and west of Lincoln Ave. to Aralia Rd.
Road Closures:
Red Rover Mine Rd. @ SR-14
Soledad Canyon Rd. @ Crown Valley Rd.
Escondido Rd.@ SR-14
Soledad Canyon Rd. @ SR-14 (exit only)
Agual Dulce Canyon Rd. @ SR-14
Placerita @ Sand Canyon Rd.
Big Pines @ SR-2
Aliso Canyon @ Soledad Canyon Rd.
Angeles Forest Highway @ Mt. Emma Rd.
Red Rover Mine Rd.@ Escondido Rd.
Aliso Canyon @ Ave Y-8
Little Tujunga @ Ranger Station
Open to Residents Only:
Effective (time)
Lake Blvd. to JPL and south of Cheyney Tr.
Evacuation Shelters: Located at La Canada High School; La Crescenta Valley High School and Golden Valley High School, Marie Kerr Park, Verdugo High School. Animal Shelters are located at Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, as well as the following special needs shelter. Pierce College (horses, donkeys and mules ONLY), Lancaster Animal Shelter and Agoura Animal Shelter are both accepting small animals.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday August 26th, 2009 approx 03:30 PM |
| Location | Los Angeles River Ranger District / Angeles National Forest |
| Incident Commander | Michael Dietrich |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 2,575 |
|---|---|
| Size | 85,760 acres |
| Percent Contained | 5% |
| Estimated Containment Date | Tuesday September 08th, 2009 approx 06:00 PM |
| Fuels Involved | Very heavy fuels of ceanothus, chamise, scrub oak and manzanita across the entire fire area, 15 to 20 feet in height with Big Cone Douglas Fir in the drainage bottoms. Fuels have not experienced any significant large fire activity in the past 40 years. |
| Fire Behavior | Fire behavior was extremely active with rapid rates of spread and flame lenghts up to 80 feet. All thresholds in place for determination of active fire behavior have been exceeded. Hot and dry with afternoon winds, especially over the upper slopes. |
| Significant Events | Mandatory Evacuations are in effect in many locations. The fire is threatening the Mount Lukens Communications Site, Mount Wilson Communications Facilities and Observatory and may reach these locations this burning period. Unified Command is in place. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Prepare and protect structures when and where necessary. Air operations will be heavy on the northwest perimeter. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme. The fire in the Acton area has spread down to the lower slopes adjacent to the road. |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extremely steep and inaccessible |
| Remarks | Angeles Crest Highway remains closed and is the primary access route for numerous private residences and the Mount Wilson Communication Facility and Observatory. Multiple evacuation centers have been established. The Red Flag warning will expire at 9:00 p.m. the evening. |
From the city's Web site:
(As of August 29, 2009, 1:00 p.m.)
• The "Station Fire" started at approximately 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, August 26, 2009
• Approximately 7,000 acres have burned; 5% containment; fire is largely fuel driven; currently
no significant winds
• Per instruction from County public safety personnel, the City of La Cañada Flintridge is
announcing an immediate mandatory evacuation notice for residences on: Ocean View Blvd.
n/o Bristow Dr., including Bristow Dr., Derwood Dr., Manistee Dr., and Highrim Rd.; generally
e/o Palm Dr. at Ravista Ln., n/o Vista Del Valle, and w/o Angeles Crest Highway; Greenridge
Dr., Forest Green Dr., Ridge Ct., and Starlight Crest Dr. (through address 502); Big Briar Way
(off Haskell St.); La Canada Blvd. n/o El Vago St., Donna Maria Ln., Indian Dr., Alta Canyada
Rd. n/o El Vago St., Hacienda Dr., Linda Vista Dr., and Alta Canyada Rd. n/o Linda Vista Dr.
Residents in these areas are asked to assemble their families and leave the area. An
evacuation center is set up at La Cañada High School, located at 4463 Oak Grove Dr., where
the Red Cross is ready to receive those coming from the evacuation area. Please heed
directions from Sheriff's deputies and fire personnel to ensure that all residents are able to
depart in a safe manner.
• According to Mr. John Velasco of JPL, the Lab will be closed until at least Sunday evening.
• Fire personnel are battling the fire near Alta Canyada; thus far their efforts are holding
• Units for structure protection are in place and will remain and be supplemented as necessary
• 12 helicopters and 6 fixed wing aircraft will be in the air today
• All concerned residents should packed and be prepared to leave if a mandatory evacuation
order is issued; La Cañada High School is set up and available to shelter evacuees (30 people
have sought shelter); Crescenta Valley and John Muir High Schools are backup locations
• If you and your family are evacuated from your residence or business, please check in with
the Red Cross at La Canada High School, even if you will be staying temporarily with family
and friends at another location; this will assist in accounting for community members if
necessary
• The Pasadena Humane Society is available at La Canada High School for pet care/shelter
• Review your individual preparedness plan and continue to monitor local news and this
website for updates
• 164 homes have lost electricity in the Country Club area. No timeframe for restoration as
SCE cannot enter this area due to fire danger.
• The City will continue to notify residents via its reverse 911 system with critical public safety
information (calls to land lines only)
There are several smoke animations on the web, including the SSD Fire Detection Map.This satellite image comes from the NOAA:
View Altadena evacuation area in a larger map
There is no clear boundaries to the area being evacuated in Altadena.
Watch commanders at both the Altadena station and Crescenta Valley are not taking phone calls.
No one has communicated with the HQ Bureau about the boundaries of the area in Altadena under mandatory evacuations. Sheriff's are enforcing some sort of mandatory evacuation nonetheless.
Here's what seems to be happening. Homes north of Loma Alta are under orders to evacuate. The eastern and western boundaries remain unclear, although the La Vina neighborhood at the top of Lincoln Avenue has been evacuated.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Under Investigation |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday August 26th, 2009 approx 03:30 PM |
| Location | Los Angeles River Ranger District / Angeles National Forest |
| Incident Commander | Jim Hall |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 751 |
|---|---|
| Size | 5,000 acres |
| Estimated Containment Date | Tuesday September 08th, 2009 approx 06:00 PM |
| Fuels Involved | Very heavy fuels of ceanothus, chamise, scrub oak and manzanita across the entire fire area, 15 to 20 feet in height with Big Cone Douglas Fier in the drainage bottoms. Fuels have not experienced any significant large fire activity in the past 40 years. |
| Fire Behavior | Friday behavior was very active to extreme, with rapid rates of spread and flame lenghts up to 80 feet. There is a potential for Saturday's fire behavior to be similar to Friday. Around noon Saturday, after the inversion has lifted, expect actively spreading fire with upslope runs. Spotting may occur from 1/4 mile up to 1/2 mile. |
| Significant Events | 3 Mandatory Evacuations as of early Saturday morning include Starlight Crest Drive north to Green Ridge Court, including Forest Green Drive, two, Big Briar Way at Haskel, and third, Donna Maria Lane, Indian Drive, Hacienda Drive, Alta Canada Rd., North of Linda Vista, La Canada Blvd. north of El Vago Street. Evacuation Center: La Canada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Drive, La Canada, CA. Angeles Crest Highway remains closed. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Prepare and protect structures when and where necessary. Construct handlines and dozer lines. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Extreme |
| Terrain Difficulty | Extremely steep and inaccessible |
| Remarks | 1800 homes threatened. 27 commercial properties and 52 other stuctures threatened. |
Current Weather
| Wind Conditions | 5-8 mph E |
|---|---|
| Temperature | 80 degrees |
| Humidity | 30% |
ALTADENA - Sheriff's Search and Rescue team members are heading for Altadena neighborhods in Millard Canyon, La Vina and The Meadows warning residents to be ready to leave if the Station Fire continues to spread east.
"You can't help but be worried," said Sheriff's Law Enforcement Technician Ruby Kinkle. "We're advising people they should be ready to evacuate."
Meadows resident Lee Stapensky said it appeared to him that the fire was getting close to Gould Mesa, which he estimated is a mile from The Meadows, a semi-rural enclave in West Altadena reached by a single road.
"It looks as if it's approximately at the ridge west of Gould Mesa," said Stensky, who has been monitoring the fire since Friday morning.
Fire Service spokesman Bruce Quintelier said that, based on other hearsay reports, what Stepensky has seen "in a general fashion, may not be too far from being correct - spot on."
The fire has been burning so rapidly throughout the day that it's been difficult to keep up with mapping its perimeters, Quintelier said.
View Visible smoke plumes in Southern California in a larger map
This from reporter Robert Hong in Pasadena:
ALTADENA - A man was shot by a Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputy at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 3000 block of Highview Avenue, authorities said.
No deputies were harmed in the incident, and the man was taken to a local hospital.
No details were released as to why the man was shot.
No further information was available.
A gang shooting laft a 19-year-old wounded in Altadena early Thursday. Few deatils are available. Police are seeking the shooter. Here's our story:
ALTADENA - A 19-year-old man was shot in front of a liquor store in Altadena Thursday morning, authorities said.
The man was shot twice in front of Johnny's Liquor at the corner of Fair Oaks Avenue and Harriet Street at 7:54 a.m., said Lt. Greg Sisneros with the Altadena sheriff's station.
The victim was transported to Huntington Hospital, Sisneros said.
The suspect fled on foot with a handgun, possibly a revolver. He is described him as a black male in his mid-twenties, wearing a gray sweatshirt and blue jeans. He is 5'6" and 180 pounds, Sisneros said.
Sheriff's deputies are treating this as a gang-related shooting, Sisneros said.
This from staff and wire reports:
LOS ANGELES -- An Altadena man made his first court appearance today on
charges that he molested two 9-year-old girls, including one of his students,
while he was working as a teacher about 20 years ago.Mark Walter Sonnenburg, 53, is scheduled to be arraigned Oct. 20 on three
felony counts filed last Friday involving the two alleged victims, according to
Sandi Gibbons of the District Attorney's Office.One of the girls was a student at Eagle Rock Montessori School,
where he taught at the time, Gibbons said.He had more recently taught at The Walden School in Pasadena where he worked until March, according to a statement released by that
school."We have determined that these allegations do not involve any former or current
student from our school and are based on a time more than two decades ago,"
Walden School's statement says. "Prior to learning of the allegations, the
school never received any information, complaint or allegation of this kind
involving Mr. Sonnenburg -- before or during his tenure at the school."The Walden School said it had been contacted by authorities during the last
school year, had been fully cooperating with the investigation and conducted
its own independent investigation.Sonnenburg was arrested last Friday by officers from the Los Angeles Police
Department's Northeast Division. He has remained jailed since then in lieu of
$300,000 bail.
Eustolia De La Torre holds pictures of her two sons, Sergio, left, andMichael who were both gunned down within a year in separate shootings.
Michael, 19, who was shot while standing in front of a home in
Altadena on Saturday, June 28, 2008. Sergio, 34, was shot in July 2007. Suspects in that shooting are currently on trial. Pictured at her
home in Pasadena on Tuesday, July 1, 2008. (SGVN/Staff photo by Robert
Hong/SXCITY)
CBS 2 KCAL is reporting two homicides overnight. One in West Covina. Victim there remains unidentified.
The other incident was reported in Altadena. I've got some emails about the Altadena incident that I'll post on the jump. Here's the news story:
LOS ANGELES At least two men were gunned down in Los Angeles Friday night, according to officials.
The first homicide, in West Covina, was reported about 11:20, said West Covina police Lt. Tommy Garcia.
Responding to a "shots fired" call, police found the body of a young man in a yard near 1450 W. Puente Ave.
The victim's name was withheld pending notification of his family.
Meanwhile, in Altadena, another man was fatally shot about 1:10 a.m.
The victim in that shooting was declared dead at the hospital.
The shooting occured in the 100 block of Figueroa Drive, according to Deputy Rick Pedroza of the Sheriff's Headquarter's Bureau.
Detectives are investigating the circumstances that led up to the shooting and searching for a suspect.
As for my emails ...
Continue reading Two homicides overnight.
CONTRIBUTORS
|
| Frank Girardot, Metro Editor for the San Gabriel Valley Newspapers, brings you behind the yellow tape with takes on true crime, cold cases and more. This is also your forum to discuss crime, its impact on your neighborhood and how we cover it. Have any questions or tips? You can leave a comment here or e-mail Frank. |
|
|
Brian Day is the crime reporter for the San Gabriel Valley Newspaper group. E-mail Brian. |
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