Approximate Location
Incident Overview
The Station Fire was fully contained (line around the perimeter) at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, October 16, 2009. Following moderate rainfall in the San Gabriel Mountains earlier in the week, fire crews were able to hike in and contain the remaining portion of the fire in the San Gabriel Wilderness area.
Given the unprecedented size of the Station Fire, full control (fire out with no heat) may not occur for several weeks or months. Sustained rain events and the onset of winter conditions at higher elevations will assist firefighters in achieving full control of the Station Fire. Southern California frequently experiences quick-moving brush fires and grass fires, which burn in finer (thinner) fuels. The Station Fire, burning on National Forest lands, is truly a forest fire, especially at the higher elevations of the San Gabriel Mountains where dense stands of timber retain heat despite suppression efforts.
Post-Fire Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) and other activities:
There are three phases of rehabilitation following wildfires on federal lands: Fire Suppression Repair; Burned Area Emergency Response; and Long-term Recovery also known as BAER. Fire Suppression Repair is a series of immediate post-fire actions taken to repair damages and minimize environmental impacts resulting from fire suppression activities and is usually began after the fire is contained and before the demobilization of an Incident Management Team. This work rehabilitates the hand and dozer firelines, roads, trails, staging areas, safety zones, and drop points used during fire suppression efforts.
The BAER assessment team will determine if there are appropriate and effective measures that can be implemented in a timely manner to reduce unacceptable risks from potential flooding, mudslides, and debris flows. If the BAER assessment team determines emergency situations exist, and there are feasible and appropriate mitigation measures that would substantially reduce risks, the Angeles National Forest's short-term goal is to have treatments completed before the first damaging winter rain storm.
A variety of state, local agencies and programs are available to help homeowners. These include FEMA, Natural Resource Conservation Service, and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works. Residents who have not yet met with a flood-control engineer but would like to schedule a visit may call (800) 214-4020 and review the LA County DPW's "Homeowner's Guide for Flood, Debris and Erosion Control".
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 Board of Supervisors of the County of Los Angeles has established a reward in the amount of $50,000 for any information leading to the apprehension and/or conviction of the person or persons responsible for the heinous actions that lead to a major disaster known as the "Station Fire" which started off the Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) about one mile above Angeles Crest Fire Station on August 26, 2009 around 3:30 p.m., and at this time has resulted in the deaths of two firefighters and injury of 22 persons.
The Station Fire which started on August 26, 2009, was the largest fire in the recorded history of Angeles National Forest (est. 1892) and the 10th largest fire in California since 1933.
Basic Information
| Incident Type | Wildfire |
|---|---|
| Cause | Arson |
| Date of Origin | Wednesday August 26th, 2009 approx. 03:30 PM |
| Location | Los Angeles River Ranger District / Angeles National Forest |
| Incident Commander | K. Giao |
Current Situation
| Total Personnel | 34 |
|---|---|
| Size | 160,577 acres |
| Percent Contained | 100% |
| Fire Behavior | There are isolated pockets of smoldering forest litter (pine needles,etc) and root systems of some mature conifer trees. This is typical of fires in heavy timber, with thick trees that retain heat more than the brush and grasses of most southern California fires. The Station Fire burned over 250 square miles of the San Gabriel Mountains. Residual smoke and occassional torching out of previously unburned "islands" of vegetation within the perimeter are to be expected. |
Outlook
| Planned Actions | Aerial reconnaisance of the Station Fire area is being conducted to identify hotspots near Mt. Wilson and other locations within the Station Fire area. GPS coordinates of these locations are being provided to the Bear Divide Hotshots who are hiking in on the ground to construct fireline around them and direct any water drops. Aerial support: Since November 4, 2009, Angeles Helicopter 737 (Sikorsky Helitanker) has made 6 drops totaling 7,400 gallons of water on these hotspots. Should the need arise, several more helitankers are available in the area that can be quickly assigned to do drops on any additional hotspots that may occur. |
|---|---|
| Growth Potential | Minimal. |
| Terrain Difficulty | Steep & extremely rugged. |
| Remarks | Firefighter Safety Considerations: Standing dead trees, known as "snags," represent a significant safety issue for firefighters in the burned area. As firefighters hike in to the extremely rugged area on the north side of Mt. Wilson, they are trained to identify standing dead trees which may fall, or even live trees that are unstable due to the root systems being burned. When these mature trees fall, they leave "stumpholes," large crater-like holes on the forest floor with smoke pouring out. Stumpholes on the Station Fire have been measured as deep as 7-8 feet, which represents another safety issue. None of the hotspots within the Station Fire area are near the containment line, which stretches around the entire fire. U.S. Forest Service firefighters have hiked in and put out hotspots from 400 yards to well over 1 mile into the fire area. |
