Heavy rains triggered a mudslide along Santa Anita Canyon Road, blocking access to the Angeles National Forest and prompting city officials Thursday to declare a local emergency. Recent storm-related problems caused an estimated $1 million in damage to private and public property.
After months of preparation and more than $300,000 expenditures in the aftermath of the Santa Anita II fires that diverted a wall of mud from homes, the fire-ravaged hillside seemed to be holding despite the rain storms.
This month's heavy rainstorms triggered as many as 18 mudslides. The first major slide deposited 6000 cubic yards of mud on a section of road in Arcadia. The road to Chantry Flat is closed until further notice.
Workers use earth-moving equipment to shore up Chantry Flat Road, which has been closed for over a year due to mudslides. The road may re-open at the end of September.
Telephone and online wagering was approved by the California Horse Racing Board on Thursday. Now gamblers may place bets at Santa Anita Park from home.
Hikers and scouts were briefly trapped by flames, and homeowners in Sierra Madre were given the option to evacuate, due to a brush fire which started in a wooded area about one mile north of Arno Drive in north Arcadia around 3pm yesterday. The fire has burned more than 100 acres.
A brush fire that started Saturday in Santa Anita Canyon is being referrred to as the Santa Anita Fire. The fire is still raging in the mountains above Sierra Madre and Arcadia. It has destroyed 400 acres, forced the evacuation of 1000 people, and forced Sierra Madre to close its schools. Officials say it could take 4-7 days to contain the fire.
Calmer winds helped firefighters battling the 538-acre Santa Anita Fire yesterday as crews focused on protecting homes and stopping a creeping western edge of flames that forced evacuations in neighboring Pasadena. Also see two accompanying articles on the front page.
Firefighters have gained the upper hand on the Santa Anita Fire yesterday after it had burned a total of 584 acres. Officials lifted mandatory evacuations throughout the area. A timeline of the fire is on page 11.
Due to heavy smoke from the Williams Fire in the Angeles National Forest, schedules at schools were cut back including the postponement of the tennis and water polo matches at Arcadia High School.
U. S. Forest Service officials met with cabin owners and residence permit holders to hear concerns regarding evacuation of the Big Santa Anita Canyon area.