Results tagged “sayrefire”

A slew of city and county agencies are coming together tonight to meet with residents of neighborhoods near the four major wildfires of the past two years (Sayre, Sessnon, Marek, and Station fires). Tonight is the first in a series of town halls about having a readiness and evacuation. When it rained briefly last week, there were mudslides. So it's safe to say, they are likely not to be the last. Maps will be given out where flood or debris flows might go. Tonight's 6 p.m. meeting is at Northeast Valley City Hall (17747 Foothill Boulevard, Tujunga 91402).

The Sayre Fire broke out late in the night on November 14th, 2008, and burned for several days in the Northeast San Fernando Valley and into Santa Clarita, ravaging across thousands of acres and destroying nearly 500 homes in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar alone. This community became emblematic of the Sayre Fire; officials like Mayor Villaraigosa and Governor Schwarzenegger addressed the scared residents while speaking to the media, authorities worked diligently to account for all the residents, and many wondered if poor water pressure could have contributed to the high number of homes lost.

As we enter into a worsening fire season and summer recreational time, the Angeles National Forest today announced that the fire danger level will be raised from moderate to high this Sunday. It's the third highest danger level out of six, therefore there are no new campfire restrictions, but extra precaution is needed. The most Western portions of the San Bernardino Mountains within the National Forest, bordering Los Angeles neighborhoods, burned twice last year in the Marek and Sayre wildfires.

Good news for anyone whose home was destroyed or damaged by last weekend's wildfires who also happens to be a Southern California Edison (SCE) customer: You don't have to pay your current bill. According to CalFire's blog, those customers "will not have to pay for electricity used since the last bill they received at those damaged residences," and that SCE is "offering payment arrangements for those who were indirectly affected by the fires, such as customers who lost business income." An SCE Customer Service rep expressed sympathy on behalf of the company to all those who were affected, and gave out phone numbers to help direct inquiries regarding bill forgiveness--(800) 250-7339--and payment arrangement--(800) 950-2356. Crews are still working in some areas to restore full service.

The Sayre Fire destroyed 489 homes and all but nine were at the Oak Ridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar. Just like in Yorba Linda, residents are questioning the hearsay low water pressure. If that is indeed true and water pressure was higher, could homes have been saved?

They're still burning, but things are calming.

The LAPD announced yesterday, "with a high degree of confidence," that all residents from the Oakridge Mobile Home Park safely escaped the Sayre Fire, which destroyed 479 homes in the Sylmar neighborhood. "While this was abundantly good news and a testament to the bravery of a number good neighbors and members of the Police and Fire Departments, it does not fully relieve the Police Department of the responsibility for a proper accounting of all evacuees," the LAPD said in a statement this morning.

The Sayre and Triangle Complex Fires in the Los Angeles area are still burning, but firefighters are gaining the upperhand.

The tally of damage from the Triangle Complex Fire has increased from 120 lost structures reported this morning to 259 destroyed structures in areas including Corona, Yorba Linda and Anaheim Hills, according to KCAL9 on-air news. The blaze, that hit parts of Orange, Riverside San Bernadino and LA counties, is still 40% contained with 29,000 acres burned. Officials are saying that it was possibly caused by a spark from a passing by car.

     

Here are the fires and smoke as seen on Sunday from a NASA satellite. The smoke, spread out through the region, is much worse than the smoke last month during the Sesnon and Marek Fires (see that satellite image here). As health officials warn, keep that in mind when you see and/or smell smoke.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is encouraging residents and businesses to help support the hundreds of displaced families due to the Sayre Fire by donating to the Red Cross of Greater Los Angeles, the organizations that is acting as the lead agency on shelter management and the current relief effort.

The Red Flag was called off last night as "fire perfect" weather began to lessen, making it harder for blazes to spread with ease. The conflagrations still burn, however, daily life in the region is getting back to normal this morning. TV News is no longer wall-to-wall breaking news, Metrolink trains are back in operation and freeway closures are few and far between.

Sunday afternoon saw the Sayre Fire reach 35% containment and no further buildings lost, however the blaze did continue to push north through the brush in Santa Clarita. According to local newsradio KHTS's website, "the fire made a run down the hill just after 3:15 p.m., although LA County fire crews say that it did not reach any of the containment lines and it has not prompted additional concerns for them."

While only Sylmar High School remains in use as a shelter in the San Fernando Valley for evacuees from the Sayre Fire, all Los Angeles Unified School District schools--including Sylmar HS--will be open tomorrow, although there will be no "outdoor activities" taking place due to unhealthy air quality conditions. In Orange County, due to the "Triangle Complex Fire" Brea Public schools, Placentia/Yorba Linda Unified schools, and Brea-Olinda Friends Christian school will be closed.

As the Sayre Fire moves northward further into the Santa Clarita Valley and in Placerita Canyon, there is some good news for residents of the San Fernando Valley affected by the blaze.

Following remarks made by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger just before 10 o'clock this morning, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke at a press conference held at Hansen Dam regarding the Sayre Fire.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger spoke just before 10 this morning at a press conference held at Hansen Dam in regards to the Sayre Fire, which continues to burn in Los Angeles County.

As the Sayre Fire continues to burn, the latest figures on the devastating blaze show that it has burned close to 9,500 acres, destroyed 9 single family homes, 500 mobile homes, 10 commercial buildings, and is at 30% containment. The fire is now burning towards the Angeles National Forest, which means it poses less of a threat to residential areas. Winds remain strong in the San Fernando Valley; there is a Red Flag warning in effect until 4 p.m. today.

As part of the unified command set up yesterday in Los Angeles to combat the Sayre Fire, the LAPD had 150-200 officers on hand to assist evacuees and to patrol the evacuated areas once the fire was out. In Porter Ranch, at least one homeowner reported looting, as he returned to his property to check on his doors, and found two women taking his belongings from his home.

       

The fire that tore through the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in Sylmar left total devastation in its wake. According to LAFD Captain Steve Ruda, who spoke to evacuees gathered at Sylmar High School this morning, almost all of the approximately 600 homes in the community were burned to the ground. The Sayre Fire began at 10:30 Friday night and has burned at least 6500 acres and remains far from being contained. The LAPD now considers the Oakridge Mobile Home Park a "crime scene."

Short pieces of video footage captured of the Sayre Fire, which began to rage in the Sylmar area late last night, have already made their way to YouTube.

The Oakridge Mobile Home Park at Glenoaks and the 210 Freeway in Sylmar has now been labeled a crime scene by the Los Angeles Police Department. According to a live broadcast on KABC-7, the LAPD have just ordered all media personnel out of the area and are focusing on their investigation. They have not made any indication as to the nature of the crime being investigated at the mobile home community or its affiliation, if any, with the Sayre fire. LAFD Captain Steve Ruda spoke to the neighborhood's evacuees gathered at the evacuation center at Sylmar High School at around 10:30 this morning.

Los Angeles City Fire Department Captain Steve Ruda began his address to the evacuees, volunteers, and members of the press gathered this morning at Sylmar High School by admitting "I don't have good news."

At least 200 LAPD officers are assisting in the "unified command" to combat the Sayre Fire, as Mayor Villaraigosa detailed in a press conference this morning. Although there have been some initial concerns raised about the strain on the City's police forces, Villaraigosa and other officials are assuring Angelenos that the LAPD are able to handle the demand on personnel needed to help with the fire, as well as to control the crowds expected to take to the streets today as part of a large-scale nationwide protest against the passing of Proposition 8. Today's protest in Los Angeles will be at City Hall and is due to begin at 10:30 a.m.

The Air Quality Management District have issued a smoke advisory in the San Fernando Valley for today due to the Sayre fire currently burning. They caution that "all individuals are urged to exercise caution and avoid unnecessary outdoor activities in any area directly impacted by smoke. This includes areas where residents can see or smell smoke."

In a press conference held at 8:00 this morning, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa addressed the continuing concerns for the City of Los Angeles created by the Sayre Fire, which is being battled by a "unified command" of the LA Fire Department, the LA County Fire Department, the US Forestry Service, and the LAPD.

The wildfire that began late last night in Sylmar (13000 Sayre Street) has now grown to be at least 2600 acres, and has destroyed an as-of-yet undetermined number of homes and structures. Many local freeways remain shut down as the firefight continues. Currently there is one civilian who has been reported with major burns, and a few others with minor injuries. Evacuation centers are set up at Sylmar, San Fernando, Kennedy, and Chatsworth High Schools, and there are two major mandatory evacuation areas. Pierce College and the Hansen Dam are able to take in large animals from evacuees. Residents are being urged to gather up important documents, medication, and irreplaceable items such as photo albums and to leave their homes when asked, with the doors and gates unlocked so that firefighters can access the property as needed.

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