[Dmander]

The Station Fire began on August 26, 2009, off Angeles Crest Highway above La Cañada Flintridge in the Angeles National Forest. It burned 160,577 acres across the San Gabriel Mountains, destroyed 89 homes and numerous other structures, and became the largest wildfire in modern Los Angeles County history. Investigators ruled the fire an arson. It was reported fully contained on September 19 and declared out on October 16.

Los Angeles County Fire Camp 16 Capt. Tedmund "Ted" Hall and Firefighter Specialist Arnaldo "Arnie" Quinones were killed on August 30 when their vehicle went off a mountain road during the fire. A public memorial was held at Dodger Stadium on September 12. Views of the fire include its smoke plume from space, pyrocumulus clouds above the Los Angeles basin, flames threatening foothill homes and power lines, horse evacuations, burned slopes, nighttime fire lines and crews working across the mountains.

Also covered here: Photographic Time Line

[firedog25]

It is one of the larger one's we've had in Los Angeles County... well, ever so far as I know. It's at 165,000 acres, an acre is roughly 44,000 square feet. I miss working large campaign fires and actually prefer brush fires like this to structural fires or aircraft crashes. Brush fires you're fairly separated from the human factor of the fire unless someone gets hurt or killed like Arnie Quinones and Ted Hall did on this fire. I mean the human factor by seeing someone up close lose something. My first structural fire was on a tri-level house (staggered 3 levels). A retired architect, widower. It was a complete loss in terms of the structure, probably lost a healthy portion of his belongings and memories. It sucked to see him standing there watching 30+ years of memories and work go up in smoke.

It's going to be a very sad day at Dodger Stadium today, 12 Sep, though. Not just because it's the Dodger's stadium but for the memorial service going on there today for Arnie Quinones and Ted Hall. There will be hundreds of fire engines and response vehicles and thousands of personnel there. The last time I saw a significant line of duty death was two CHP officers who died in a massive storm on the 166. The procession of response vehicles stretched over five miles well out of the town of Santa Maria.

It looks like they have live coverage at www.abc7.com

[Soar]

Some incredible pics there.

[güttsfükk]

i agree with soar, some amazing shots there

[kellyhound]

cool pix. year after year cali is hit by fires.
Thought last year someone had started a bbq or burned trash r something in the dry hills and things got out of hand.

[firedog25]

I think about half the fires we get are human caused. The last big campaign fire I worked was caused by a raven that landed on a transformer.