So far, so good; foothills continue to hold through fourth storm

At a press conference held at Fire Camp 2 in La Canada Flintridge Thursday at 5:30 p.m., officials expressed relief that the foothill communities such as La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Altadena and Sierra Madre had not suffered any major damage as of yet due to rain.

Nonetheless, officials cautioned that the danger posed by the fire-denuded and now soaked hillsides north of foothill comunities has not passed.

Patchy thunderstorms were expected to continue overnight over hillsides that are already saturated with water.

Even after the storm subsides and the sun comes up, mudslides and debris flows will be on "ongoing concern," Los Angeles County Department of Public Works Director Gail Farber said. She declined to estimate how long the threat of mudslides would loom over the recent burn areas of the Station Fire.

Though mandatory evacuations were lifted Thursday throughout Sierra Madre, all other evacuations, including those in La Canada Flintridge and La Crescenta, remained in effect.

Those asked to evacuate there homes will have to wait at least one more night to find out when it's safe to return, Farber added.

"We want to bring people home just as quickly as possible," she said. "However, we are not prepared to make a decision this evening."

County Supervisor Michael Antonovich said he hoped officials would be able to give residence information Friday morning on when they may be able to return home.