Got home and was welcomed by the sound of low flying water dropping helicopters - ugh! Looked up the street and there were a bunch of firefighters swarming up a minor ridge between Bailey Canyon and Hastings Canyon (this is less than 1 mile west of last April's Sierra Madre fire). No flames were visible, just a few wisps of smoke. Several water drops later and the helos left, leaving the firefighters and a couple of hoses to mop things up.
Just in case, I'd recommend calling Sierra Madre police dept. if you are planning on hiking Bailey Canyon this weekend.
PASADENA - Firefighters are battling a hillside fire burning in steep terrain above Pasadena, near the Hastings Ranch area and near the border with Sierra Madre.
Some homes are near where the fire is burning, and firefighters were running hoses into the hills to keep the flames from reaching residences.
The fire was reported shortly before 3 p.m. It had consumed about 1 acre of heavy grass and brush.
By Dan Abendschein, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/18/2008 10:00:54 PM PDT
About 100 firefighters battled a smoky five-acre brush fire Friday that police believe was started by teens lighting fireworks near the Pasadena-Sierra Madre border.
The fire, however, burned away from homes, with winds pushing the flames into the hills and toward Angeles National Forest.
Some homes were momentarily threatened, but firefighters worked quickly to the keep flames from any structures.
One firefighter was taken to a hospital with heat-related injuries. No homes were evacuated, officials said.
The fire broke out shortly before 3 p.m. at the top of North Michillinda Avenue, officials said.
About 45 minutes later, police detained three teens at the scene, after witnesses reported seeing three people running down a hill moments before the fire broke out, said Lt. Lisa Perrine of the Pasadena Police Department.
Police believe the 17-year-old boys caused the fire by lighting fireworks in the area, said Pasadena police Lt. Jari Faulkner.
The boys are being held on suspicion of recklessly setting a fire on forest lands, she said, and were to be sent to juvenile hall.
"A quick-thinking neighbor called and gave a great description" of the three, said Lisa Derderian of the Pasadena Fire Department.
Officials at the scene worried about flare-ups and worked fast to bring the blaze under control before it could get out of hand.
Firefighters cut brush around the fire to contain it.
The blaze was finally put out at shortly before 5 p.m.
Derderian said crews planned to remain at the scene through most of the night to ensure no hot spots remained.
Firefighters from Pasadena, Los Angeles County and the U.S. Forestry Service fought the fire, assisted by water-dropping helicopters. Officials set up a command post on Michillinda and Park Vista Drive to coordinate the effort.
On Oct. 27, 1993, the Kinneloa Fire roared through the same area, destroying 123 homes, burning more than 5,700 acres and forcing 2,500 people from their homes.
