Public lands: additions sought for San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. U.S. Senator Alex Padilla and Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, push bid to expand area by 109,000 acres by designating the western Angeles National Forest as part of the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. The San Gabriel Mountains are north of Arcadia.
Bill seeks addition to forest landscape. Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena, hopes to expand San Gabriel Mountains National Monument by 100,000-plus acres with the San Gabriel Mountains Protection Act, written by Representative Judy Chu. The San Gabriel Mountains are north of Arcadia.
U.S. Senator Alex Padilla seeks wilderness protections, introduced in a bill covering 1 million acres of land and 500 miles of rivers. Padilla's bill incorporates the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act, written by Representative Judy Chu, D-Pasadena. Under this provision, the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, established by President Barack Obama in 2014 will be expanded by 109,143 acres to include front facing portions of the Angeles National Forest north of Sierra Madre and Arcadia and into the forest's western edge near Santa Clarita.
Fire crews in the Angeles National Forest brace for Santa Ana winds. The Bobcat fire is burning in the San Gabriel Mountains. Residents of Arcadia, Monrovia, Duarte, Bradbury, and Sierra Madre were told to prepare for possible evacuation. It has burned 4900 acres, north of Azusa,
Nearly all of region's national forest areas, including the Angeles, Los Padres, San Bernardino and Cleveland national forests, reopened yesterday, one week after the expiration of the California regional closure. The forests also lowered their fire danger level from critical to extreme, according to the U.S. Forest Service. The closure order was issued August 31 in response to statewide wildfires. Although the majority of the Angeles National Forest will reopen, a significant part will remain closed due to the 2020 Bobcat fire. The closure order for Angeles National Forest has been in place since September 2020 and remains in effect until April, to allow for affected areas to recover from the 100,000-plus-acre Bobcat Fire. Still closed are Chantry Flat Picnic Area and Buckhorn Campground.
San Gabriel Mountains-Veterans seeking expansion of forest. Advocates ask White House to add acreage to federal protection. Iraq War veteran Steve Dunwoody leads veterans struggling with PTSD on hikes through the Angeles National Forest. The veterans group joins legislators, cities, tribal, and environmental groups in support of adding forest land to the San Gabriel Mountains monument. The proposed addition borders the cities of Santa Clarita, Monrovia, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, as well as Los Angeles communities of Sylmar, Tujunga, and Sunland. Twin bills from House of Representatives Rep. Judy Chu, D-Pasadena and U.S. Sentor Alex Padilla, D-Calif. propose an expansion that would grow the monument by one-third.
Damage saps fun from Angeles forest. Angeles National Forest's Chantry Flat Road remains closed after suffering damage from the 2020 Bobcat fire and subsequent fires. Storms and fires force closure of trails, roads and campgrounds, some for years. The forest's second-most visited area, Chantry Flat, in the section north of Arcadia, Monrovia and Sierra Madre, has been closed since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. A sign in Arcadia (photo) advises motorists of the Chantry Flat Road closure.
With the House of Representatives leaderless and legislation going nowhere, President Biden has been urged to expand the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument. More cities, elected officials, ask president to use his executive power to add acreage to the area, including Alhambra, Monterey Park, Santa Clarita and South Pasadena. The proposed addition of 109,000 ares to the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument includes forest sections just above the cities of Monrovia, Arcadia, and Sierra Madre, and up to Santa Clarita.
Huge California conservation bill heads to vote in Congress today. The Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, or House Resolution 803, seeks to preserve 1 million acres of public land in California. Part of it is the San Gabriel Mountains and Rivers Protection Act, authored by Rep. Judy Chu-D. to extend the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument designation by adding 109,143 acres of the western front-facing Angeles National Forest. This includes popular hiking areas within Chantry Flat, located just north of Arcadia.
House passes preservation bill on a bipartisan vote. The Protecting America's Wilderness and Public Lands Act, or House Resolution 803 seeks to conserve 1 million acres of public land in California, much of it in Southern California. HR 803 incorporates two local measures, including the San Gabriel Mountains Foothills and Rivers Protection Act that will protect the Angeles National Forest, located just north of Arcadia.
National monument expansion possible. Report claims United States President Joe Biden plans to add a third more land to the protection of the San Gabriel Mountains.
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.
$12 million headquarters of the Angeles National Forest Service was dedicated yesterday. It is an environmentaly energy efficient 24,000 square feet administrative facility at 701 N. Santa Anita Avenue. Mary McGrath, of Mary McGrath Architects, was the executive architect on the project.
Bobcat Fire continues to wreak havoc. Nearly 24,000 acres burned above foothill communities, north of Monrovia, and still spreading out of control yesterday as firefighters contended with powerful winds. The fire has burned 23,890 acres of pristine forest lands. It was 6% contained. Evacuation warnings are still in effect in Monrovia, Arcadia, Azusa, Sierra Madre, Duarte, Pasadena, Altadena & Bradbury.
House of Representatives appropriations bill to offer money for shuttle system to forest area. Nearly
$1 million will provide for project to local areas. US Forest Service planning a shuttle to Chantry Flat, a
forest site north of Arcadia and Sierra Madre, that links to trails and Sturtevant Falls.