Fire in Santa Anita Canyon: 2008-04-26

Post by **HikeUp** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 4:43 pm

Afternoon of Saturday April 26th: fire in Santa Anita Canyon; flames shooting up along the ridge on the west side of the canyon. A picture or 2 a bit later.

I suspect this might close access to Chantry Flats for awhile. Hmm.

Added lame pics:

Leslie L · Post by **Leslie L** » Sat Apr 26, 2008 5:45 pm

Thank you for posting this info - I was headed to Chantry tomorrow but now I will change my plans.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 12:33 am

Looks like it is burning in Little Santa Anita Canyon tonight. Burning up towards Jones Peak I think. Tons of people on the streets of Sierra Madre trying to get a look. Lots of streets are barricaded and evacuations going on. Let's hope no homes get burned and that the firefighters stay safe.

FIGHT ON · Post by **FIGHT ON** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:19 pm

Hey HikeUp. I don't know how to tell you this but I'll try. You see that house in your first pic? The one on the left up the street with the little red chimney?
THAT'S MY HOUSE!

Please don't tell me you live where you are taking that pic from.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:35 pm

Fire approaching Jones Peak from the east/southeast. They've been putting retardant all along the southeast ridge of Jones today...

Painting Jones Peak red! They've made a stand at the southeast ridge and the saddle north of Jones Peak to prevent the fire from spreading into Bailey Canyon (left of the peak out of the picture)...

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:38 pm

Sierra Madre Fire Department update

lik2hik · Post by **lik2hik** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:19 pm

(Moved from another thread)

Looks like Chantry Flats, Mt. Wilson Trail and other nearby trails are going to be closed for some time.
The fire started yesterday around 3:00 Pm right near the Chantry Flats rd. Several people were trapped above in the Chantry Flats area, until they were escorted down later in the day.
Once it became dark and the air drops stopped, the fire kept moving Westward, and downward, towards Sierra Madre.
Much of the city, above Grandview, is being evacuated today by LASD and other law enforcement agencies (mandatory).
So far, the fire has burned into Little Santa Anita Canyon and is moving up towards Jones Peak. NO houses lost so far.
There are (3) helicopters, a fixed-wing aircraft and lots of fire crews working on the fire today.

here are some pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/likelyhike ... 85/detail/

JMunaretto · Post by **JMunaretto** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:17 pm

Bailey Canyon must be saved!

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:39 pm

JMunaretto wrote:Bailey Canyon must be saved!

They're working on it...and doing a damn good job!!!

Here they are reinforcing the southeast ridge of Jones with more retardant...

The flying hot dog from below...

Post by **HikeUp** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:51 am

Inciweb information.

Map of burn areas. High Point 3375 in the upper left portion of the burn area is Jones Peak.

lik2hik · Post by **lik2hik** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:21 pm

Last night the fire moved further west towards Bailey Canyon. It stayed low, closer to town and went around much of the fire retardant that they had put down on Sunday.
New evacuations were ordered today at the West end of town North of Fairview.
It's tough when they can't really fight the fire in the mountains after dark. It gets going again overnight and the process starts all over again in the morning.
Hat's off to those on the firelines. Hope they can get it stopped before any real winds show up.

Post by **Taco** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:30 pm

Hope all is well with everyone.

It was REALLY bright from the Puente Hills area last night.

AW~ · Post by **AW~** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:21 pm

Thanks for the updates/pics...finally understand where this fire has burned(initially heard Chantry Flats and fire was burning in Santa Anita canyon)

Am curious how the canyoneering portion of Little Santa Anita looks...heard something vague about heat & decomposed granite.

Post by **HikeUp** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:35 pm

AW: the fire started in Santa Anita Canyon about 1 mile up the road to Chantry Flat. It spread westward into Little Santa Anita Canyon and has been threatening to go up and over the next ridge to the west into Bailey Canyon.

Fortunately for us fans of Bailey Canyon, the fire hasn't made into the main part of the canyon yet and it looks like the trail up to Jones Peak is intact - for now!

Jones Peak on the left in this pic with Little Santa Anita Canyon on the right side. Red retardant lower down on a minor ridge on the south face of the peak is as far west as the fire has made it so far. Bailey canyon is on the left edge of the pic...

lik2hik · Post by **lik2hik** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:21 am

No real flare-ups last night (Monday). Fire crews are beginning to leave and they are opening some of the streets back up now. Looks like they have it under control.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:37 am

On the radio, they said 59% contained and, perhaps more importantly, that the area of the fire had not grown.

Post by **HikeUp** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:53 pm

The inciweb site I linked to above is reporting as of 10:00am April 30th that the road to Chantry Flat is open. I for one am surprised.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:35 pm

Maybe it's burning over to the west? Still, I to am surprised. I'd think they'd want to keep it closed in case the wind shifted or something. Maybe they're really confident about their containment lines.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 5:48 pm

The maps on the InciWeb site shows steady movement to the west. The fire started at the extreme western point on the road to the Flats. What's missing on the maps is any information on what's burning in the original fire area. But with 88% containment and the general westerly direction of things, the threat to Chantry Flats and the road up to it must look pretty minimal at this point.

I still don't plan to go hiking there this weekend, though.

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu May 01, 2008 7:29 am

This morning I saw a notice (dated 4/30) posted at the Bailey Canyon parking lot that stated that Chantry Flats was open but ALL trails leading from Chantry were closed. Mt. Wilson Trail was also closed. Bailey Canyon was NOT on the list.

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu May 01, 2008 12:33 pm

Closure Update (9:00 a.m. May 1, 2008):

All Sierra Madre trails are closed.

All trails on National Forest System land are open, as none were impacted by the Santa Anita Fire.

...

Santa Anita Canyon Road (Chantry Flat Road), which accesses the Angeles National Forest, is open.

Taken from the inciweb site linked to above. Things are clearly changing often ... so good luck making plans!

Post by **HikeUp** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:01 am

As of the morning of May 2nd, Bailey Canyon is closed until further notice. Whatever.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Fri May 02, 2008 11:19 am

HikeUp wrote:As of the morning of May 2nd, Bailey Canyon is closed until further notice. Whatever.

Passion duly noted.

MikeSash · Post by **MikeSash** » Thu May 15, 2008 10:31 pm

Any update as to the damage done to little santa anita?

Post by **HikeUp** » Fri May 16, 2008 4:25 am

MikeSash wrote:Any update as to the damage done to little santa anita?

Bailey Canyon and Mt. Wilson Trails are supposedly open (from website and from word of mouth), so I plan on doing a loop hike through both on Sunday morning. Pictures will be taken.

I've heard talk that there are volunteers doing repair to the Mt. Wilson Trail trying to get it ready for the Mt. Wilson Trail Race which is May 24th.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun May 18, 2008 1:15 pm

Here are some pictures of the canyon bottom taken on 2008-05-18. The fire didn't get up canyon any further than First Water. Below first water there are areas that looked unaffected, some that looked completely cleared of vegetation and some where maybe just the undergrowth was burned but the canopy remains.

Watch for rock fall...it was nearly constant.

Just below First Water...

Further down...

I'll post some images of the Mt. Wilson Trail under a Trip Report.

MikeSash · Post by **MikeSash** » Sun May 18, 2008 1:31 pm

Wow thats pretty devastating. Big time bummer.

Thank you for the update and pics.

Post by **HikeUp** » Sun May 18, 2008 2:35 pm

MikeSash wrote:Wow thats pretty devastating. Big time bummer.

Thank you for the update and pics.

No problem...that's what Taco pays me for.

AlanK · Post by **AlanK** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:15 pm

HikeUp wrote:
MikeSash wrote:Wow thats pretty devastating. Big time bummer.

Thank you for the update and pics.
No problem...that's what Taco pays me for.

I know you're good but I was pissed when I learned that he pays you twice what he pays me!

Post by **Taco** » Sun May 18, 2008 5:29 pm

Hey, you guys said you wouldn't say anything! Don't make me get the bat.

Thanks for the updates, guys. Thanks for the Mt Wilson thread as well. These updates are what makes this site supah useful!