Recently in wildfire Category

Pasadena police have questioned three youths in connection with the Friday afternoon fire above Hastings Ranch.

There has been no arrests. The three were seen leaving the scene as soon smoke appeared.

No further information was available.

 *Three youths are reportedly now in custody according to one of our wire services.  We are confirming the story. (As of 5:46 p.m.) They are juveniles.

** From interview at 5:52 p.m. with Pasadena Fire Spokeswoman Lisa Derderian .. the youths were not residents of the area . . still trying to determine the origin a neighbor called it in great description and PPD were on it right away. . . .

The lightning strike-caused wildfire in Big Sur contined to rage Saturday. The governor's declared a state of emergency and is expected to speak this afternoon regarding the fire crisis in Northern California.

Here's the inciweb update from Big Sur.

Maybe we jumped the gun on the heat wave equaling a crime wave up in the SGV.

The scanner's been pretty quiet this morning...maybe its too hot to be stupid.

Anyway, the National Weather Service is predicting record temperatures. They've extended the red flag fire warning through Saturday night and issued an excessive heat warning.

Here's what the Associated Press is saying about the weather:

Firefighters worked in extreme heat to corral small brush fires as a strong high-pressure system cooked the air from the central coast south to Los Angeles and San Diego.

At Ice Station Valencia, a rink in the broiling Santa Clarita Valley, hockey director Larry Bruyere, 55, said: "You don't mind working here on days like this."

Los Angeles County opened 42 daytime cooling centers for seniors and suggested people visit air-conditioned malls and libraries in the evenings. The National Weather Service warned people to take precautions for heat that could quickly kill children or animals left in cars, even if the windows were cracked open.

As people cranked up air conditioners, energy use in Los Angeles peaked at 5,854 megawatts Thursday, breaking records for the month of June, according to the city Department of Water and Power.

Some links to monitor through the day:

CAL ISO -- Power usage in California.

NWS -- Warnings, forecasts, observations

INCIWEB -- Keeping track of fires for the Feds.

Reporter Caroline An encountered these two dogs on Woodland Avenue Saturday as she was reporting on the Sierra Madre mudslides. An told me she didn't even notice the dogs at first, but was instead "transfixed" by some nearby spring flowers.

Here's her description of the photo:

Two lovely, cuddly dogs kept watch on Woodland Avenue Saturday morning. One of the streets affected by mudsliudes and hail that occurred Thursday. 

Officials at Sierra Madre City Hall declared a state of emergency and planned to seek state and federal assistance to cope with mudslides flowing through neighborhoods that had been assaulted by wildfires less than a month ago.
"At this point the mud has not flowed into people's homes," said Sierra Madre City Manager Elaine Aguilar, who added voluntary evacuations had been declared for residents along Woodland and Skyland drives.
But many ignored the evacuation requests and chose to stay and weather the torrential rains that fell on the area Thursday and Friday, hoping that the runoff from the denuded hillsides would be contained to the streets.
John Stillman said at one point Thursday the mud had reached up to the hood of his white Honda Accord in front of his Skyland Drive home. Down the street, a neighbor's pool was flooded with the brown, sticky stuff.
"I hardly got it out," said Stillman of his car. He chose to stay put as city crews worked until early Friday using a skip-loader to clear the mud flows in front of his home.

As the mud continues to slide down a couple of Sierra Madre streets, reporter Fred Ortega gets busy reporting the news.

Photographer Leo Jarzomb shot this picture Friday May 23, amid the freak late spring rain storm that's pelted the region.

Those guys cleaning the streets are inmates. Fred's the guy with the umbrella.

At least three streets in Sierra Madre have been evacuated as a precaution against flash flooding and mudslides, officials report.

The streets are Skyland Drive, Woodland Drive and Lotus Lane, officials said. An Emergency Operations Center has been opened. Evacuees will be taken there.

The Daily Bulletin reports a brush fire that began in Phillips Ranch Friday about 11 a.m. was 50 percent contained at press time last night. Brush clearance intended to prevent fires apparently caused the blaze.

The photo comes from Bulletin reporter Will Lester with this caption:

Maria and Avsencio Reyes watch a fire burn from the roof of their home on Friday May 16, 2008 in the Phillips Ranch area of Pomona, Calif. (Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Will Lester)

 

Here's an excerpt from an AP story about brush fires and the heatwave:

MOUNT BALDY VILLAGE, Calif. (AP) _ Firefighters braced for more hot and dry weather Saturday as they worked to surround a wildfire that has burned 460 acres of parched brushlands in the San Gabriel Mountains.

The Bighorn Fire on the flanks of Mount Baldy was 72 percent contained, with full containment expected Sunday evening, U.S. Forest Service spokesman Matt Corelli said. No injuries or building damage were reported.

It was among several small but dangerous wildfires that broke out in five Southern California counties this week as the region withered under the influence of a high- pressure system expected to last into the weekend. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory Saturday warning of temperatures reaching up to 105 degrees in some areas.

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Blogged at Foothill Cities

Story at Daily Bulletin

In the News:

Blaze burns on -- from DB.

Winds could fan Mt. Baldy Fire -- from LAT

Crews battle as weather turns -- from AP

On the Blogs:

Still burning -- Fire fighting news

Resists containment -- West Coast 911

Situation Update -- FEMA

Elsewhere:

Mt Baldy Volunteer FD

Shown at left:

Inciweb progression map

As with the last month's Sierra Madre/Santa Anita/Chantry Flats fire, there are several bloggers watching what's going on at Mt. Baldy. And today's apparent flare up 

The Fire, officially dubbed the "Bighorn Wildland Fire"  has burned 310 acres and is about 10 percent contained, according to Inciweb.

From the Blogs:

"Ashes in the sky"

US Forest Service updates from My Murrieta (?)

Still "out of control"

This from reporter Janette Williams:

Ricky Whitman, spokeswoman for the Pasadena Humane Society, said the
organization us still caring for about three dozen cats and dogs
brought in by owners who had to evacuate over the past few days.

"(Sunday) we evacuated the mules by trailer" from the Adams pack
Station at Chantry Flat, Whitman said. "We were able to help that way,
and the race track stepped up and helped."

She said there were 20 mules, one mare and 15 goats all being looked
after by staff at Santa Anita Park racetrack.

Whitman said the pets brought in during the evacuation are being held
separately -- including in the board room and auditorium -- and will be
ready to leave when their owners come for them.

Fred's award from Pasadena provocateur Proctor came in the mail today. I asked him to pose for a photo and the obligatory quote:

All he would say was "Um, yeah. That's good." (as he shoveled in another mouthful of huevos rancheros con jamon).