Station fire is approaching Big Santa Anita Canyon
As the Station fire continues to grow within the Angeles National Forest, flames are nearing Big Santa Anita Canyon, threatening the foothill communities of Sierra Madre and Monrovia, as well as what is believed to be the last pack station in the United States.
At the entrance of the canyon this afternoon, U.S. Forest Service firefighters Chad Nagasawa and Bart Barreto were preparing to head into the canyon to monitor the fire and see what direction it was heading. The men said hand crews were going to try to direct the fire east, away from the foothill communities.
“Back to the bush,” Barreto said.
Forest Service officials said fire prevention work began at the canyon five days ago with the evacuation of two homes in the area and all of the 80 antique cabins nestled along the Chantry Flats Trail. The cabins were built in the mid-1800s and are rented out to hikers. Officials said fire crews have already cleared brush around those structures and set up hoses and laid sprinklers on rooftops to keep them wet.
Firefighters have also evacuated 12 donkeys, one mule, six goats -- including one that had gone missing -- and a dog from the pack station. The animals were transported to the Santa Anita racetrack, officials said. The pack station is the last of its kind in the United States, according to its website. It serves the 80 cabins in the Chantry Flats area.
Also evacuated from the area was Derryl Forrester, the Santa Anita Dam keeper. Forrester said he lives in the dam with his girlfriend, dogs and cats. He said this was the fourth fire he had experienced since working and living at the dam. He has been staying at different hotels. Although not concerned about his home, because it’s made of concrete, he worried about the canyon’s historical aspect, such as the cabins and pack station.
“That would be a great loss,” Forrester said.
-- Carla Rivera reporting from Sierra Madre
At the entrance of the canyon this afternoon, U.S. Forest Service firefighters Chad Nagasawa and Bart Barreto were preparing to head into the canyon to monitor the fire and see what direction it was heading. The men said hand crews were going to try to direct the fire east, away from the foothill communities.
“Back to the bush,” Barreto said.
Forest Service officials said fire prevention work began at the canyon five days ago with the evacuation of two homes in the area and all of the 80 antique cabins nestled along the Chantry Flats Trail. The cabins were built in the mid-1800s and are rented out to hikers. Officials said fire crews have already cleared brush around those structures and set up hoses and laid sprinklers on rooftops to keep them wet.
Firefighters have also evacuated 12 donkeys, one mule, six goats -- including one that had gone missing -- and a dog from the pack station. The animals were transported to the Santa Anita racetrack, officials said. The pack station is the last of its kind in the United States, according to its website. It serves the 80 cabins in the Chantry Flats area.
Also evacuated from the area was Derryl Forrester, the Santa Anita Dam keeper. Forrester said he lives in the dam with his girlfriend, dogs and cats. He said this was the fourth fire he had experienced since working and living at the dam. He has been staying at different hotels. Although not concerned about his home, because it’s made of concrete, he worried about the canyon’s historical aspect, such as the cabins and pack station.
“That would be a great loss,” Forrester said.
-- Carla Rivera reporting from Sierra Madre
Well, the article is partly correct.
The cabins do not date from the mid 1800's. They were built in the early 1900's during "the great hiking era". At one time there were more cabins and mountain resorts.
However, the 1938 flood, a 1953 fire and flooding in '54 and flooding again in the late 1960's destroyed many of them. The cabins are not rented out to hikers. They are for personal use by individuals who hold Special Use Permits from the Forest Service. There is one camp, Camp Sturtevant, which dates from 1894 that does provide rental cabins to groups.
There are 2 hike in campgrounds run by the Forest service, where people can camp as well.
See John W. Robinson's book "The San Gabriels" for photos and info.
Posted by: John Bennett | September 02, 2009 at 06:24 PM
The cabins are not rented out to hikers, they are owned by several concerned people!
We have been told that backfires are being set and expected to move west, through the canyon to Mt Wilson, essentially burning down the cabins. This is so sad, as these are historic buildings and nothing is being done to protect them
Posted by: Erin | September 02, 2009 at 07:14 PM
I posted a few Google Earth views of Santa Anita Canyon and the approaching fire using the USFS KML overlay.
It's close.
http://firefighterblog.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Mike | September 02, 2009 at 08:43 PM
Just a few corrections. Chantry Flat is home to two Forest Service employees and their families and the owners of the Adams' Pack Station, Sue and Deb Burgess. The donkeys, the mule, and all but one of the goats are safe, as are all but one of the barn cats.
The cabins were not built in the mid 1800s. The majority were built in the early 1900s. They are all privately owned and regularly used by their owners.
Historic Sturtevant Camp, was established in 1893. It is the only camp from the Great Hiking Era which is still in operation in southern California's San Gabriel Mountains. Surrounded by the largest virgin stand of Big Cone Spruce trees in the United States, Sturtevant's canyon setting provides a unique opportunity to experience the wilderness.
In addition to the history of the canyon, it provides an escape from the city for hikers and picknickers. Each weekend sees at lest 2,000 visitors to the canyon.
It is the third busiest entrance into the Angeles National Forest.
Posted by: Suzanne Burgess | September 03, 2009 at 07:41 AM
Not to be a downer but a little fact checking wouldn't hurt in a "news" article. The "only pack station of its kind" is ridiculous even if you let the blame fall on the company's website. Journalism still has some standards right?
Just a few of the others:
http://www.owensvalleyhistory.com/pack_stations/page54.html
Posted by: Blair | September 03, 2009 at 08:01 AM
Either way, this is a terrific place to hike and camp. My 6-year-old son and I spent a night last year at Hoegge Campground and cooled off with a popsicle at the Chantry Flat store. Let's hope for survival!
Posted by: Larry | September 03, 2009 at 08:54 AM
The forest service buildings and pack station have splinklers and fire hose all around them,but the cabins don't.They are down canyon aways from the other buildings.
Posted by: todd | September 03, 2009 at 09:04 AM