Update – Sept. 14, 11:43 a.m.:

On Sept. 4, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a $100,000 reward for information leading toward the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for setting the Station fire in Los Angeles County.

Full text of the proclamation is below:

PROCLAMATION

WHEREAS, on August 26, 2009, I proclaimed a State of Emergency in Los Angeles County due to a fire that started on August 26,2009, now known as the Station Fire; and

WHEREAS, the Station Fire has burned approximately 150,000 acres, continues to burn and is not yet contained; and

WHEREAS, two firefighters were killed while fighting the Station Fire in Los Angeles County; and

WHEREAS, state and local officials have determined the cause of the fire is arson; and

WHEREAS, Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca requested that a state reward be offered, in supplement to an existing reward, to encourage individuals with information about this crime to contact law enforcement; and

WHEREAS, public assistance is vital to law enforcement, and rewards often encourage public cooperation essential to apprehend those who have committed serious offenses; and

WHEREAS, the Governor is authorized by Penal Code section 1547(b) to offer rewards up to $100,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of any person who kills a firefighter in the line of duty; and

WHEREAS, the reward will be paid in accordance with Penal Code section 1547.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, do hereby offer, effective immediately, a reward in the amount of $100,000 for new information, voluntarily given hereafter, leading to the arrest and conviction in a California court of the person or persons responsible for setting this fire.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed at Sacramento, California this 4th day of September 2009.

ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER
Governor, State of California

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Update – Sept. 11, 12:45 p.m.:

According to the Air Quality Management District [AQMD, air quality on campus is “moderate,” consistent with air quality throughout SoCal.

Also from the AQMD –

In addition to its ongoing network of fixed monitoring stations, AQMD has deployed temporary mobile air quality monitors to better assess the air quality and public health impacts from wildfire smoke. There is also a permanent continuous particulate monitor measuring air quality in the La Cañada-Flintridge area.

SOUTH COAST AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
SMOKE ADVISORY FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2009

The Station Fire will continue to generate localized areas of smoke and unhealthy air quality in portions of the San Gabriel Mountains directly impacted by smoke.

There has been little impact to populated areas. Air-flow drainage overnight from the mountains has brought little smoke to the foothill communities of the San Gabriel Valley. Ocean breezes will move smoke northward in the afternoons, mostly into the mountains and out of the Basin.

Air quality may reach Unhealthy levels, or higher,due to high concentrations of fine particulates in localized areas directly impacted by smoke at times, especially in the San Gabriel Mountains (Area 15).

While smoke impacts are expected to be minimal in other areas, including the San Gabriel Valley, any smoke that occurs should be considered
unhealthy.

In any area impacted by smoke: Everyone should avoid any vigorous outdoor or indoor exertion; people with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children should remain indoors. Keep windows and doors closed or seek alternate shelter. Run your air conditioner if you have one. Keep the fresh air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent bringing additional smoke inside.

To view current air quality conditions by region in an interactive map, see:
http://www2.aqmd.gov/webappl/gisaqi2/VEMap3D.aspx .

For more tips on avoiding health impacts from smoke, see:
http://www.aqmd.gov/ej/CAC/wildfire_safety_tips.htm on AQMD’s website.
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Update – Sept. 10, 9:30 p.m.:

According to the U.S. Forest Service 160,357 acres have been burned since August 26. Personnel have been reduced to 3,503 individuals, who have brought the fire to 71 percent containment. The estimated containment date is Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6:00 p.m.

According to the forest service:

Crews and personnel are being released as suppression needs decrease. Yesterday 850 personnel were demobilized. Fire managers expect the fire cost per day to decrease. While the fire is not out, there has been tremendous progress by firefighters.

It has been determined that the cause of the Station Fire is arson and is now a homicide investigation If you have any information or questions please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 323-890-5500.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed a resolution that offers deepest sympathy to the families of the firefighters who lost their lives in the Station Fire, honors first responders who continue to risk their lives fighting the wildfires throughout California, and expresses condolences to the individuals and families who lost their homes and other property to the wildfires. The resolution was introduced by Congressman David Dreier (R-San Dimas) and Congressman Adam Schiff (D-Burbank) with the support of the California delegation.

There will be a Memorial Service for Los Angeles County Fire Department Firefighters, Fire Captain Tedmund “Ted” Hall and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo “Arnie” Quinones, Saturday, September 12, 2009, 10:00 a.m., at Dodger Stadium.
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Update – Sept. 5, 7 p.m.:

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the Station Fire has destroyed 154,655 acres at this time and is at 49 percent containment.

Cause: Arson and is now a homicide investigation. Contact LA County Sheriff’s Department at (323) 573-2387 with questions

Structures destroyed/damaged:

 Residences: 76/13
 Commercial Properties: 2/1
 Communication Sites: 2/0
 Outbuildings/Others: 86/18
 2 Firefighter fatalities
 9 injuries

For more information call 323-881-2411
source: http://www.fire.lacounty.gov/
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Update – Sept. 4, 9 p.m.:

It has been determined that the cause of the Station Fire is arson and is now a homicide investigation. If you have any information or questions please contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department at 323-573-2387.

The Station Fire has destroyed more than five dozen homes and burned more than 230 square miles. According to the U.S. Forest Service 154,655 acres have been burned since last Wednesday. Personnel totaling 5,244 individuals, have brought the fire to 42 percent containment. The estimated containment date has been delayed a week from Tuesday September 8, at 6:00 p.m. to Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6:00 p.m.
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Update – Sept. 3, 10:10 p.m.:

The U.S. Forest Service has confirmed that arson is the cause of the Station Fire, which began on Aug. 26th, at 3:30 p.m., a mile above the Angeles Crest Fire Station. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department have initiated a homicide investigation for the perpetrator of the fire which caused the deaths of fire Captain Tedmund Hall and firefighter Arnaldo Quinones, who were killed Sunday when their truck careened off a steep mountain road.

The Station Fire has destroyed more than five dozen homes and burned more than 230 square miles. According to the U.S. Forest Service 147,418 acres have been burned since last Wednesday. Personnel totaling 4,847 individuals, have brought the fire to 38 percent containment. The estimated containment date has been delayed a week from Tuesday September 8, at 6:00 p.m. to Tuesday, Sept. 15, at 6:00 p.m.

According to the U.S. Forest Service:
“The Station Fire has burned 230 square miles of land within the Angeles National Forest and near surrounding foothill communities of La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon, Pasadena, Glendale and Sierra Madre. The goal of the Incident Management Team is 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. The fire is moving into areas of the forest with no recorded fire history.”

Evacuations have been lifted for the area served by the Glendale campus. A community meeting is scheduled for tomorrow in Azusa.

Community Meeting
Azusa Senior Center
740 North Dalton Ave Azusa, California
September 4, 2009 7 p.m.
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Note: Slideshow photos are updated daily

Update – Sept. 2, 10:30 a.m.:
Most evacuations affecting the campus community have been lifted, with these exceptions:

MANDATORY EVACUATIONS:
TUJUNGA: Northwest of Day at Blue Gum Canyon Road to Glory Avenue to westbound Apperson Street to northbound Fairgrove Avenue to westbound Summitrose Street to northbound Pinyon Avenue to westbound Hillrose Street to northbound Seven Hills Drive to Lonzo Street

VOLUNTARY EVACUATIONS:
GLENDALE:North of Markridge road between Pennsylvania and Lowell

The US Forest Service has confirmed that 140,150 acres have been burned by the Station Fire, with personnel totaling 4,128 individuals is now estimated to be 22 percent contained. The estimated containment date is Tuesday September 8, at 6:00 p.m.

Students who have been affected by the Station Fire must contact instructors by the second class meeting or risk being dropped from classes.
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Update – Sept. 1, 9:20 a.m.:
Air quality on campus has been rated “very unhealthy”
http://www2.aqmd.gov/webappl/gisaqi2/VEMap3D.aspx

According to the Air Quality Index [AQI] criteria:
The Air Quality Index (AQI) is an index for reporting daily air quality. It tells you how clean or polluted your air is, and what associated health effects might be a concern for you.

The AQI focuses on health effects you may experience within a few hours or days after breathing polluted air. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) calculates the AQI for five major air pollutants regulated by the Clean Air Act:

1. Ground-level Ozone (O3)
2. Particle Pollution, also known as particulate matter (PM10 and PM2.5)
3. Carbon Monoxide (CO)
4. Sulfur Dioxide (SO2) and
5. Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2).

For each of these pollutants, EPA has established national air quality standards to protect public health. Ground-level ozone and airborne particles are the two pollutants that pose the greatest threat to human health in this country.
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Update – Aug. 31 10:40 p.m.
Classes have been suspended for the Glendale Unified School District and surrounding school districts. Glendale Community College classes are proceeding as scheduled. Any student unable to attend classes due to fire-related circumstances (evacuation, air quality etc.) must contact his or her instructor to keep from being dropped.

The US Forest Service has confirmed that 105,296 acres have been burned by the Station Fire, which despite personnel totaling 3,655 individuals, is still only five percent contained. The estimated containment date is Tuesday September 8, at 6:00 p.m.

Updated information on property loss includes 12,000 homes and 500 commercial properties threatened, and 53 structures and 2 communications sites destroyed.

To give a sense of the size of the fire in layman’s terms, 1 square mile is 640 acres, and 100,000 acres equals 156.25 square miles. The area burned by the Station Fire is approximately eight times the size of Manhattan.

Local Evacuations: call 626-821-6700 for latest info.

Tujunga: Northwest of Day at Blue Gum Canyon Rd, to Glory Ave. to westbound Apperson St to northbound Fairgrove Ave to westbound Summitrose St to northbound Pinyon Ave to westbound Hillrose St to northbound Seven Hills Dr to Lonzo St.

La Crescenta: All previous evacuations remain in effect. NEW MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS HAVE BEEN ISSUED for all residences south of Markridge Rd to Orange Ave between Pennsylvania Ave and Oceanview Blvd INCLUDING Orange Cove Ave.

MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS for all residences north of Rockdell St and Faircrest Dr between Rosemont Ave and the foothills.

Evacuations centers operated by the Red Cross:

La Canada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Ave. La Canada, CA

Cresenta Valley High SChool, 2900 Community Ave. La Cresenta, CA

Verdugo High School, 10625 Plain View Ave. Tujunga, CA
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Update – Aug. 30 10:40 p.m.
Classes will start tomorrow as scheduled.

The US Forest Service has confirmed that 42,500 acres have been burned by the Station Fire, which despite personnel totaling 2,575 individuals, is still only five percent contained.

Three civilian injuries have been reported (one at Mt. Wilson and two in Big Tujunga Canyon) and two fire crew fatalities have been confirmed. 18 homes have been destroyed.
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Update – Aug. 29 10 p.m.
The US Forest Service has confirmed that 20,102 acres have been burned by the Station Fire, which despite personnel totalling 1,804 individuals, quadrupled in size and is still only five percent contained. Mandatory Evacuations are in effect for over 10,000 homes and the fire is threatening the Mount Wilson Communications Facilities and Observatory.

Updated information on property loss includes 10,000 homes, 500 commercial properties and 2,000 other stuctures threatened, a significant increase.

While more homes are under mandatory evacuation orders, some La Canada residents will be allowed back home tonight in select areas where the fire has been extinguished. The most current evacuation information is as follows:

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST FIRE INFO-(626) 821-6700.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CALL STEVE WHITMORE AT (323) 573-2387 OR SHERIFF’S HEADQUARTERS BUREAU AT (323) 267-4800.

EVACUATION/SHELTER CENTERS:

1. LA CANADA HIGH SCHOOL (EVACUATION AND SHELTER)-4463 OAK GROVE DRIVE, LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE..

2. JACKSON ELEMENTARY (EVACUATION)- 593 WEST WOODBURY ROAD, ALTADENA.

3. CRESCENTA VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL(EVACUATION)-2290 COMMUNITY AVENUE, LA CRESCENTA.

LA COUNTY FIRE- FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN EVACUATION, CLICK ON “READY, SET, GO” AT www.Lacofd.org.
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Aug. 29 6 p.m.
Angeles Crest Highway exploded in flame on Wednesday at just after 3:30 p.m. According to Incident Commander Michael Dietrich, at least 5,500 acres had burned by Saturday afternoon and containment is not expected until the end of the day on Tuesday.

The City of La Canada, which is posting hourly updates at http://www.lacanadaflintridge.com/ , estimates that 7,000 acres have burned so far and that the fire is only five percent contained.

The cause of the fire, which started on Angeles Crest Highway a mile above the Angeles Crest Fire Station, is under investigation. It has been named the “Station Fire.” As of Saturday at 6 p.m. the conflagration threatened 1,800 homes, 27 commercial properties and 52 other structures.

Mandatory evacuations in the City of Glendale:

North of Santa Carlotta Street between Lowell and Pennsylvania.

A new evacuation center is located at the Civic Auditorium at:
1401 N. Verdugo Rd., Glendale, CA 91208.

Mandatory evacuations include east of Ocean View Blvd, north to High Rim Road and south to Fairhurst Drive.

Mandatory evacuations include north of Vista de Valle, east to Crest Drive, west to Palm Drive and everything north.

Mandatory evacuations from El Prieto Road south to W. Loma Alta, east to Monterosa Drive and west to Aralia Rd.

Mandatory evacuations in Big Tujunga Canyon:

Between County Camp #15 and the Ranger Station as well as Camp Colby which is located at 23828 Angeles Crest Highway.

Mandatory evacuations in La Canada

are in effect from Starlight Crest Drive North to Green Ridge Court, including Forest Green Drive. Also, Big Briar Way at Haskel, and Donna Maria Lane, Indian Drive, Hacienda Drive, Alta Canada Road, north of Linda Vista, and La Cañada Blvd, north of El Vago Street.

An evacuation center has been established at La Canada High School, 4463 Oak Grove Drive, La Canada, CA. The SPCA is there for evacuated pets and Verizon has set up a communications center as well. Crescenta Valley and John Muir High Schools will function as back-up locations, if there is a need.

The Red Cross confirmed that only 30 residents have elected to stay at the gym tonight, but encourage evacuees to check in even if they will be staying with friends of at a hotel. Policy will not allow the Red Cross to divulge information about evacuated residents unless they request it in advance, however a message board has been established.

Station fire info is 626-821-6700 or www.inciweb.org