Firefighters present family with tribute badge destroyed in a wildfire

The granddaughters of a firefighter killed in the line of duty more than 70 years ago were presented with a tribute badge today to replace the original that was salvaged from the ruins of the devastating 2008 Sayre Fire in Sylmar.

Firefighter George Damron died while responding to a call in Boyle Heights in 1935. His badge was a cherished keepsake to his granddaughters, Pamela and Cheryl Dibble. But when their home at the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar burned down, the silver badge was lost. The fire destroyed nearly all of the community's 600 homes, leaving behind a wasteland and rubble and ash.

Later, when the granddaughters were sifting through the remains of their home, they found the melted and scorched badge and showed it to firefighters. On the one-year anniversary of the fire, Los Angeles City Fire Department officials decided to present the family with a new badge.

The scorched one was donated to the Los Angeles Fire Department's Hollywood Museum.

"We honor our badge because we know how hard we work to get it and how hard we work to keep it," said Capt. Steve Ruda. "And the fact that these were the grandchildren of a firefighter meant they are part of our family. We have an obligation to take care of them."

-- Esmeralda Bermudez

Photo: L.A. City firefighters attempt to save a fully-engulfed mobile home at the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar in November 2008. Credit: Brian Vander Brug / Los Angeles Times

Fire weather forecast for Los Angeles and Ventura counties

The National Weather Service has issued an urgent fire weather watch for the end of this weekend, saying that low humidity and wind gusts of up to 45 mph will pose a risk of wildfires from 9 a.m. Sunday until 6 a.m. Monday.

The alert covers portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

On Sunday, gusty northeast winds are possible through the areas of Soledad Canyon, Santa Clarita, Simi Valley and Malibu. Winds of 25 to 35 mph are possible in these and surrounding areas, and could even reach speeds as high as 45 mph. The strongest winds and the driest conditions may not occur until Monday, according to the weather service.


-- Monte Morin

Hillside residents fear threat of more mudslides

Gary and Diane Stibal spent $35,000 on measures to protect their La Cañada Flintridge home from mudslides. That included installing a chain-link fence, erecting walls of sandbags and building a large concrete gutter into a hillside that sits against their backyard.

But it took just 30 minutes late Thursday night for the mud to flow, bending much of the fence and burying nearly all the sandbags and their backyard in a thick layer of mud.

“This was a beautiful lawn,” Diane Stibal said. “This was $32,000 worth of landscaping. I had just planted my pansies.”

For those living in hillside areas, the threat of mudslides has loomed large since this past summer's Station fire charred much of the San Gabriel Mountains, burning nearly all the vegetation and providing near-perfect conditions for flows should rain fall.

Although the rains Thursday were brief, they proved how real that danger is, especially with the El Niño rains to come.

“This was a small storm,” said Arthur Vander Vis, an on-site engineer for L.A. County Public Works. “It’s a wake-up call for the residents. We’re not joking when we put all this K-rail out here. It’s serious.”

-- Baxter Holmes in La Cañada Flintridge

Photo: Gary and Diane Stibal look out from their home to survey the mud and debris flow that filled their backyard. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

U.S. Forest Service report: Station fire terrain too steep to fight safely

A U.S. Forest Service review has concluded that the Station fire in the San Gabriel Mountains raged out of control because it spread to terrain too steep for firefighters to safely confront the flames and not because of delays in ordering water-dropping aircraft and more crews.

The agency launched the inquiry after The Times reported that commanders had underestimated the threat posed by the blaze during its first day and reduced the number of helicopters and crews deployed for the following morning.

In a report released today, the Forest Service says commanders used “best professional practices” in trying to knock down the blaze when it was still small. The fire burned 250 square miles of the Angeles National Forest, killed two Los Angeles County firefighters and destroyed about 90 dwellings.

The Times also reported that helicopters did not arrive in force on the critical second day of the fire, Aug. 27, until several hours after first light and after ground crews started to attack the flames along Angeles Crest Highway.

In addition, the Forest Service had issued a memorandum three weeks before the blaze ordering managers to cut firefighting costs by minimizing their use of reinforcements from local and state agencies. Today’s report says costs played no role in the Forest Service’s decisions to use fewer reinforcements from Los Angeles County on Day 2 of the Station fire.

-- Paul Pringle

Mudslide damages six homes, closes road in La Cañada Flintridge [Updated]

Residents and officials are assessing the damage after a burn area above La Cañada Flintridge gave way, sending waves of mud through a foothill neighborhood, damaging six homes and nearly covering some cars.

Rock Castle Drive remained closed this morning as public works crews cleaned up the area and firefighters monitored the situation, said L.A. County Fire Inspector Frederic Stowers.

Fire crews and residents have been bracing for mudslides ever since the deadly Station fire ravaged and denuded the Angeles National Forest this summer, a slide threat that is expected to remain for three to five years.

[Updated at 9:47 p.m.: “It’s a little nerve-racking because you don’t know, you don’t know if you have enough time,” said Diane Rohan, 38, as she took her morning walk past county workers clearing mud and debris from the street.

Rohan’s Ocean View Boulevard home was unaffected, but her nerves were frayed.

“It used to rain and you’d be, ‘OK, that’s great,’” she said. “Now it’s, ‘Is the hill going to come down?’”]

A hillside gave way during a particularly heavy period of rain shortly after 11 p.m. Thursday, when one to two inches dropped within five minutes, sending many tons of mud onto Rock Castle Drive and backyards along Normanton Drive. Four to five feet of mud flowed over the protective K-rails that line Rock Castle, blanketing the roadway and covering some cars to their roofs, Stowers said.

Orange County unveils ambitious brush-fire warning system, a year after devastating blaze

 

Orange County today will unveil an ambitious fire warning system designed to better alert residents to the danger of brush fires.

The new program, called OC Fire Watch, comes a year after the massive Freeway Complex fire swept through Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, damaging or destroying more than 300 homes. At the time, fire officials said they wanted to work on ways to better alert residents to fast-moving brush fires.

As part of the program, government agencies around the county will raise red flags outside government buildings, parks and fire stations when the National Weather Service issues "red flag" fire warnings.

Additional, the county will create a volunteer program to help with fire warnings. Officials will train volunteers on communications procedures, map reading and how to report dangerous fire situations, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

“The memories of last year’s Freeway Complex fire and the Santiago fire two years ago still linger as  painful reminders of the devastation wildfires can inflict on our wilderness areas and nearby residential  communities,” Board of Supervisor Chair Patricia Bates said in a statement.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: Aftermath of Freeway Complex fire in Yorba Linda. Credit: Al Schaben / Los Angeles Times

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Brush fire breaks out in Soledad Canyon [Updated]

Firefighters are battling a three- to five-acre wildfire in Soledad Canyon that is burning brush but not threatening structures.

The blaze broke out about 3:15 p.m, prompting a response by county firefighters and the U.S. Forest Service, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said.

[Updated at 4:25 p.m.: The blaze was knocked down at 4:05 p.m. and confined to four acres, authorities said.]

The rugged canyon is covered with chaparral in an area near the 14 Freeway.

-- Robert J. Lope

State recovers $27 million for victims of 2007 San Diego County wildfire [Updated]

California regulators have recovered more than $27 million from insurance companies stemming from several hundred complaints filed by victims after a devastating 2007 wildfire in San Diego County, officials said today.

The California Department of Insurance said that consumers had filed 391 complaints alleging unfair treatment by insurance carriers in the aftermath of the Witch fire, which broke out in northern San Diego County in October 2007.

The Witch fire killed two people, destroyed 1,650 structures and charred more than 197,000 acres. That blaze and several others in 2007 caused $2.3 billion in losses, the department said.

Of the 391 complaints, 70 involved underinsurance allegations, according to the department.

Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner said he had spoken with officials at major insurance carriers to ensure that claims are paid out as quickly as possible.

[Updated, 6:50 p.m.: In all, nearly 40,000 claims were filed in connection with California wildfires in 2007, the department said.]

"If they still refuse to honor their agreements with fire survivors," Poizner said in a statement,  "I will take appropriate action to enforce the law."

The department urged victims of recent Southern California wildfires to contact authorities at (800) 927-HELP if they need assistance. Consumers can also visit the wildfire information section on the department's web page.

-- Robert J. Lopez

Fires in Diamond Bar near full containment

Fire crews are close to full containment this morning on a series of brush fires that broke out Tuesday along the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar, officials said.

“It’s not 100% contained yet, but it’s awfully close,” said L.A. County Fire Department Inspector Matt Levesque.

No charges will be filed against the motorist whose pickup truck's faulty catalytic converter is believed responsible for sparking the fires, he said. The driver was detained for questioning and released.

Less than 50 acres burned, but fire crews stayed through the night to cut a line around the fires and to make sure there weren’t any lingering hot spots, Levesque said. The fires were first reported about 11:45 a.m. Tuesday. 

All engine crews have been released, but three camp crews and two supervisors remain, he said.

This morning, the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department announced that no charges will be filed against that driver, and the incident is being deemed an accident, said Sheriff’s Deputy Aura Sierra. The name of the driver has not been released.

-- Baxter Holmes

Photo: Los Angeles County firefighters check for hot spots Tuesday below Scenic Ridge Drive in Chino Hills just above the 60 Freeway. Credit: Gina Ferazzi  / Los Angeles Times

Fires break out in Diamond Bar, threatening homes; 2 people detained [Updated]

Multiple fires broke out along the 60 Freeway in Diamond Bar today, threatening homes, causing traffic backups and prompting a massive response from firefighters.

More than 250 firefighters and numerous aircraft battled what appeared to be eight fires that were reported around 11:45 a.m. in the hills south of the 60 Freeway between the 57 and 71 freeways. No homes were  lost, but the flames came close to several upscale hillside subdivisions.

Students at Diamond Ranch High School took shelter in the gymnasium and prepared to be evacuated if needed, but Pomona Unified School District officials said the campus was not threatened by the fire.

Small fire burning near homes in Hollywood Hills

A small fire has broken out in the Hollywood Hills, but it appears not to be threatening any homes.

The fire was burning on Forest Knoll Drive, west of Laurel Canyon Boulevard and north of Sunset Boulevard.

TV news footage showed residents using their garden hoses to fight the fire. As of 6 p.m., no flames were visible, and it's unclear when firefighters will contain the blaze.

Officials had warned that winds today could heighten fire danger.

-- Shelby Grad

Winds in L.A. area bring red-flag fire warning

Officials issued a red-flag fire danger warning today in hillside areas of Southern California because of continued gusty winds and dry conditions.

The fire warning will last through the afternoon because of the northeastern winds, according to the National Weather Service. No fires have been reported today, and firefighters hope cool temperatures and humidity will prevent any blazes from spreading. There was a small fire Tuesday near Getty Center, but it was quickly extinguished.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected across the Southland, but some areas could still experience gusts of up to 70 mph. A wind advisory this morning was in effect throughout the region until 11 a.m., said Stewart Seto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Air quality in wildfire-ravaged areas of the San Gabriel Valley was expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive people because of the dust and ash whipped up by the winds, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

Officials issued a red-flag fire danger warning today in hillside areas of Southern California because of continued gusty winds and dry conditions.

The fire warning will last through the afternoon because of the northeastern winds, according to the National Weather Service. No fires have been reported today, and firefighters hope cool temperatures and humidity will prevent any blazes from spreading. There was a small fire Tuesday near Getty Center, but it was quickly extinguished.

Winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected across the Southland, but some areas could still experience gusts of up to 70 mph. A wind advisory this morning was in effect throughout the region until 11 a.m., said Stewart Seto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Air quality in wildfire-ravaged areas of the San Gabriel Valley was expected to reach unhealthy levels for sensitive people because of the dust and ash whipped up by the winds, according to the South Coast Air Quality Management District.

'Strong to damaging' winds to batter L.A. through Wednesday morning; cable snaps on Bay Bridge [Updated]

 The National Weather Service issued an alert this evening warning of “strong to damaging" northerly winds in Southern California that will continue through Wednesday morning.

[Updated at 7:40 p.m.: Strong winds this evening forced one flight heading to Los Angeles International Airport to be diverted to another airfield,  said Allen Kenitzer, spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration. He said the winds, gusting up to 35 knots, forced two other flights to use "missed approach" procedures, meaning each had to make two attempts to land.]

Wind gusts topping 50 mph swept into Los Angeles County  this afternoon, causing scattered power outages from downed power lines in the San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys.

In the Bay Area, a cable snapped on the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, hitting three vehicles. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the cable was on a newly built span of the bridge's upper deck. Caltrans engineers were checking the structural integrity of the bridge, according to the newspaper.

[Updated at 8:08 p.m.: Authorities ordered that both directions of the Bay Bridge be closed tonight. California Highway Patrol Officer Peter Van Eckhardt said the bridge was expected to be closed for at least 24 hours so that crews could repair the damage.]

TV footage showed that wind knocked down a large sign at a Jack in the Box restaurant in North Hollywood, and that police had blocked off part of Saticoy Street because of downed power lines.

According to the weather service, strong gusts hit Malibu, Van Nuys, Lancaster and other areas this afternoon.

Warnings were issued to boaters, and firefighters were placed on alert because the winds bring new fire dangers. There was a small fire this afternoon in the Sepulveda Pass that firefighters quickly contained.

In areas burned in the recent Station fire, the wind blew up large amounts of dust and debris.

[Updated at 8:26 p.m.: Strong winds in Eaton Canyon blew down a tree in Altadena, blocking a private road off Pinecrest Drive. A car was hit by the falling tree, authorities said.]

-- Shelby Grad, Rong-Gong Lin II, Andrew Blankstein

Small fire breaks out near Getty Center

A small brush fire broke out this afternoon in the Sepulveda Pass near the Getty Center.

The fire in the 1300 block of Sepulveda Boulevard was relatively small, and firefighters were on the scene, officials said.

No homes or structures were immediately threatened.

The fire broke out just before 2 p.m.

-- Shelby Grad

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Wildfire in Santa Cruz County prompts evacuations [Updated]

A wildfire burning today in Santa Cruz County has consumed about 800 acres and prompted the evacuation of about 150 homes in neighborhoods north of Watsonville, fire officials said.

[Updated 4 p.m.: Fire officials said their earlier estimate of 800 acres burned was incorrect. They now say the fire has burned 600 acres. Winds are fading, and a trailer and two outbuildings have burned. The fire is  20% contained.]

The fire broke out about 3 a.m. in an area off California 17 on the border of Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties, said Cherie Alver of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Mandatory evacuations were issued about 6 a.m., and the fire is 5% contained.

Warm, windy weather, with gusts up to 35 mph is fueling the blaze, which is burning on the south side of the mountains.

The cause of the wildfire has not been determined, Alver said. About 1,200 firefighters are expected to be on the scene this afternoon, said Jim Crawford, a public information officer with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The fire is burning near a mountainous area where a wildfire last year destroyed 29 homes and threatened the Mount Madonna retreat center.

-- Nicole Santa Cruz
 

Community meetings to focus on wildfire protection plan for Santa Monica Mountains

Officials are holding a series of community meetings to seek input on a comprehensive wildfire protection plan for the Santa Monica Mountains.

The meetings will be led by officials from the National Park Service and Los Angeles County Fire Department. The next session is scheduled for 6:30 tonight at the Malibu City Council chambers, 23815 Stuart Ranch Road. That will be followed by a meeting at 6:30 p.m. Friday at Topanga Christian Fellowship Church, 269 Old Topanga Canyon Road, and another at 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Malibu council chambers.

For more information, call the county Fire Department at (818) 890-5783 or click here.

-- Robert J. Lopez

L.A. County to spend $6.2 million to upgrade Fire Department communications

Los Angeles County supervisors voted today to spend $6.2 million to upgrade the county Fire Department’s communication system.

The department’s chief deputy, Daryl Osby, said the move will allow their radio system to better link to other critical agencies -- including the L.A. County Sheriff's Department and the U.S. Forest Service -- during a fire. 

The decision to upgrade was driven by a 2013 deadline imposed by the Federal Communications Commission for public safety agencies to migrate to new radio frequencies. 

“Our hope is that this new equipment will roll out well before the deadline,” Osby said.

-- Garrett Therolf reporting from the Hall of Administration

Arson suspect indicted in Old fire that killed six people

A San Bernardino County grand jury has indicted a man on five counts of murder in connection with a 2003 wildfire that destroyed 1,000 homes and resulted in the deaths of six people who lived in the path of the blaze and died from heart attacks, authorities said.

Rickie Fowler, 28, was also charged with aggravated arson with special circumstances in connection with the so-called Old fire that started in Waterman Canyon and burned more than 90,000 acres, San Bernardino County Dist. Atty. Michael Ramos said. The charges could bring the death penalty, Ramos said.

Fowler has been in prison in Lancaster since 2003 on burglary charges, authorities said.

Suspect wanted for questioning in Station fire charged with setting smaller blaze

A suspect wanted for questioning in the Station fire has been arrested and charged with setting a small fire near Angeles Crest Highway, Los Angeles County sheriff's officials said today.

Babatunsin Olukunle, a 25-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested Thursday in Lancaster, said Sheriff's Lt. Liam Gallagher.

Moderate rainstorm 'just the beginning' of mudslide worries, county official says

L.A. County firefighter Steve Clemmens stood under the awning of a doughnut shop in La Crescenta early this morning, staring out into the dark as rain poured down. The wet pavement shimmered as traffic signals changed and large trucks and police cruisers rumbled past.

Although residents and officials were worried overnight about possible mudslides, as sunrise — and the end of Clemmens' all-night shift — neared, the rain and its accompanying concerns seemed to subside.

Clemmens lauded the efforts of officials who helped notify residents in high-risk areas, cleaned out debris basins and delivered thousands of feet of concrete beams, known as K-rails, and sandbags to threatened neighborhoods.

"It looks like they knew what they were doing," said Clemmens, who has been with the county fire department for 23 years. He noticed how clear the water was that flowed down the edge of Rosemont Avenue. "It doesn't mean somebody doesn't have six inches of mud in their backyard," he said. "It just means it's not in the street."

Rains jam morning commute, but no major mudslides so far

The first storm of the season has dumped 1 to 2 inches of rain in some parts of Los Angeles but so far has produced no major mudslides in fire burn areas.

Steady rain fell overnight across the region -- but there were few intense downpours, which officials feared would cause mudflows and flooding. The rains are expected to continue through the afternoon.

The wet conditions caused dozens of accidents on local freeways, already leading to a tough morning commute for many. Between midnight and 6 a.m., there were more than 160 traffic accidents, according to the CHP.

Neighbors pitch in to help each other as storm descends on region

View Fire perimeters 2008-09 at risk for mudslides and flash floods in a larger map

With gloves soaked from the cold, steady rain, Paul Dutton unloaded sandbags from his truck this afternoon near the corner of Boston Avenue and Markridge Road in Glendale. He was stacking them side by side along a driveway, hoping to divert any mudslides in the face of an approaching storm tonight.

Dutton was one of many Los Angeles County residents who were scrambling this evening to protect homes in areas ravaged by recent wildfires. The storm, which battered Northern California with rainfall earlier today, was losing power but still expected to dump up to 4 inches of rain in mountain areas of L.A. County, according to the National Weather Service.

Flood watches issued for L.A. burn areas as storm moves in

The National Weather Service has issued flash-flood watches this morning for mountain burn areas from Santa Barbara to San Bernardino as a powerful winter storm moved into Southern California.

Rain was beginning to fall this morning, with the strongest portions of the storm expected late today and early Wednesday morning. The National Weather Service issued the flood watches for areas burned by the fires in Santa Barbara as well as the massive Station fire is Los Angeles County and the Sheep fire near Wrightwood.

The watch also includes areas burned in last year's large Sayre and Marek fires in the San Fernando Valley areas.

"Flash-flooding and debris flows will be a particular threat in and below the recent burn areas," the NWS said in its statement.

Officials said residents in burn areas should prepare for possible mudslides, rock slides and debris flows "even during periods with little or no rain falling."

Flash-flood watch issued for fire-ravaged areas in Santa Barbara County

The National Weather Service issued a flash-flood watch tonight for areas of Santa Barbara County that have been ravaged by wildfires.

The watch is in effect from tomorrow through Wednesday morning as a strong Pacific storm rolls into Central California. Rainfall is expected to increase throughout the day, with the heaviest rainfall coming Tuesday afternoon, according to the Weather Service.

The storm is expected to move south and dump from 3 to 6 inches of rain in fire-ravaged areas in Los Angeles County beginning Tuesday night.

In Santa Barbara County, the La Brea fire burned more than 87,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest in August. Authorities said the blaze was started by an illegal marijuana-growing operation. And in May, the Jesusita fire burned 8,733 acres in the Santa Barbara foothills. The blaze burned 80 houses, damaged 15 others and injured 32 firefighters.

-- Robert J. Lopez

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Interactive map: Los Angeles-area neighborhoods at risk for mudslides

As a powerful storm heads toward California, residents in the Crescenta Valley area north of Los Angeles are preparing for heavy rainfall that could send mud and debris flowing into neighborhoods. The canyon communities that have been warned are in and near the area recently burned in the Station fire.

The Times has created an interactive map showing locations considered by the U.S. Geological Survey to be at risk for mudslides. The USGS issued a warning last week about what could happen in a worst-case scenario, which assumes a rainstorm of 12 hours' duration that strikes when debris-retention basins are already full. A storm of that size occurs about once every two years.

Meteorologists at the National Weather Service are expecting a strong Pacific storm to bring heavy rain and strong winds into Southern California beginning Tuesday.

-- Rong-Gong Lin II

Related: Download the U.S. Geological Survey's detailed mud flow map

Use The Times' map to see where residents can pick up sandbags at L.A. County fire stations