Huge Blaze Threatens 12,000 LA-Area Homes; 2 Dead (Latest News: 06:30PDT )

Orange County Register ^ | Aug 31, 6:30PDT | RAQUEL MARIA DILLON and JULIET WILLIAMS

[kellynla]

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Firefighters tried Monday to hold back a massive wildfire from consuming thousands of Los Angeles-area homes and a crucial communications center as they mourned two firefighters killed when their vehicle rolled down a mountain.

About 12,000 homes, as well as communications and astronomy centers atop Mount Wilson, were threatened by fire. At least 6,600 homes were under mandatory evacuation orders Sunday night and over 2,500 firefighters were battling the flames. On the blaze's northwestern front, two firefighters were killed Sunday on Mount Gleason near the city of Acton.

[fatima]

:)We prayed on the air today for you guys.(((((((Hugs)))))))

[sissyjane]

I’m really hoping for rain, and NO lightening, for my southern California friends.

[La Enchiladita]

I wish I had been tuned in. That’s lovely.
I’m fine, but thousands of others really needed those prayers.

[truth_seeker]

“We need to start paving in that border area of Pakistan next to Afghanistan!”

Pave it starting with a layer of nuclear dust.

[truth_seeker]

“...Hurricane Jimena (Pacific!) please ping me. Believe it or not, it’s set to hit Baja and might actually sent monsoonal moisture up to the L.A. basin in a few days. It would be miracle-like to have moisture thrown on this conflagration!”

It is fairly common for the edge of the summer sub-tropical weather to touch into SoCal, but rare for it to bring significant rainfall.

Just several days of muggy, humid weather like we have been having, only moreso.

[truth_seeker]

“You know what—this is a fire thread. Why don’t you go start your own to talk about snow? Okay? Thanks.”

Thanks for saying that.

[trisham]

Very sad. Prayers for all are on the way.

[lainie]

The Martin Mars just made a 7200 foot drop over Mt. Wilson and is replaying it (CBS2 footage)

very awesome.

[lainie]

The drop was at 4:15 and the plane is en route to Lake Elsinore to refill for another drop sometime between 5:15 and 5:45.

[lainie]

(are Elsinore and Castiac talking about the same place?)

[BurbankKarl]

I heard the pilot say what I then Tweeted....Castaic has some footbridge and they said they couldnt use that

[BurbankKarl]

They didnt exactly hit the target either....

[lainie]

I was gonna say something but decided I must not know what I’m talking about. He hit downslope didn’t he

[lainie]

Wind must have shifted. The cities of Palmdale & Lancaster are completely smoked over now

[BurbankKarl]

The McHenry family cheers as a Sikorsky S-64 Sky Crane firefighting helicopter goes in for another load of water at Yucaipa Regional Park while fighting the Oak Glen and Yucaipa fires Tuesday. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)


Firefighter Matthew Cleaver is illuminated by the glow of a backfire in La Cresenta Monday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)


Firefighters keep watch on a backfire behind homes on the 2800 block of Pinelawn Dr. in La Cresenta Monday. (Francine Orr / Los Angeles Times)


Los Angeles firefighter Thomas Rindge takes a break from battling the Station fire in La Crescenta Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


View from a burned out truck across acres of scorched hillsides in Acton as smoke rises from Mt. Gleason in the distance Monday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)


A towering cloud from the super-heated Station fire in Angeles National Forest billows into a blue sky behind downtown Los Angeles on Monday. (Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)


Alexis Faieta cries in the back seat of the family vehicle as her parents, April and John Faieta, prepare to evacuate from Haines Canyon Avenue in Tujunga on Monday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


The Station fire bears down on Aliso Canyon Road in Acton, several miles north of the area where two L.A. County firefighters died Sunday night after their truck went down a mountainside. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)


Newhall residents Will Moriarty and his son Max, 2, keep an eye on the Station fire along Aliso Canyon Road in Acton on Sunday. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)


"Stretch" Lewis hoses down the roof of his uncle's home on Cedarcroft Road on Sunday as flames approach. "I'll be damned if I give this home to fire," Lewis says. (Barbara Davidson/ Los Angeles Times)


Flames leap across Angeles Crest Highway Saturday. The road runs through the heart of the area charred by the Station fire. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


Sonoma County firefighter Kenderic Braal tries to get some much needed rest early Saturday in La Cañada. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


Firefighters, from left, Steven Moak, Ken Nelson and Gil Alvarez with the Mountain Recreation Conservation Authority watch as a plane drops fire retardant Friday off Angeles Crest Highway. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)


U.S. Forest Service firefighters retreat from the approaching Station fire on a ridge along Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


A U.S. Forest Service firefighter monitors the Station fire along Angeles Crest Highway in La Cañada Friday. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)


U.S. Forest Service firefighters race to battle the Station fire as it jumps Angeles Crest Highway in the Angeles National Forest. The blaze spread as canyon winds whipped flames into dry brush Thursday. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

[Windcatcher]

HOLY COW.

I can’t imagine what it must be like living with the constant threat of fire. I guess you have to live there to understand. Over here in the northeast we’ve had the “summer that wasn’t” — just a six-month spring. It’s been cool and very, very wet. The ragweed counts have spiked a month early from all the rain, and my sinuses sure know it. It’s too bad some of our rain couldn’t have been sent there.

[lainie]

aMAZing

every time there’s a fire I marvel at how something can be so destructive and awful, yet so beautiful at the same time.

[lainie]

What is going on with Juniper Hills & Littlerock? The evac was mandatory last night & today but I haven’t heard any word.

[sissyjane]

It’s going to sound stupid, but I can’t help it...God bless them, EVERY ONE!!! Thank you again for posting these photo’s.

[BurbankKarl]