TheFoothillsForum

National Weather Service Watch Warning Advisory Summary

http://forecast.weather.gov/wwamap/wwat ... 0statement

FROM THE U S FOREST SERVICE To Tujunga Canyon Residents

Temporary Permit Suspension for October 13-14, 2009 Storm Event

Dear Permittee:

As you know, the issues surrounding the Station Fire continue beyond just the flames being put out. Post-fire studies indicate that rain events could result in large amounts of uncontrolled water and sediment movement which pose a major threat to life and property.

The Forest is currently finalizing a Storm Event Evacuation Plan that covers all the people and property within the recent fire perimeters on the Angeles National Forest. This plan will cover Forest Service employees and stations as well as permittees and the permitted improvements. However, the plan will not be finalized in time for this predicted rain event that is due to arrive on Tuesday October 13, 2009. But the baseline for this plan is a 48-hour notification of affected parties when a weather event is forecasted.
The Forest is committed to protecting life above property and is activating the plan as it stands now to ensure that people are not in harm’s way when the storm hits the Forest. There is a prediction of 1-2 inches of rainfall from this storm.

With the lack of any protection measures in pat that timelace, the Forest will error on the side of caution as it relates to public safety. The Forest is initiating its 48-hour notification with the expectation that people within the affected areas will be out within 24-36 hours. Basically, permits are suspended and no permittee will be allowed at their permitted area effective Tuesday October 13, 2009 until the event is over and it is safe to return.

I know this is sudden and out-of-the blue, and I wish we had more time to discuss the overall plan with you but the weather is running this show right now. Hopefully, the rain event will be a bust and we can discuss what we learned from this first run of the Forest Evacuation Plan. We were fine-tuning the Plan to be more selective of the areas to be evacuated but since that information is not available yet, we have to approach it on a broad scale approach. Please be patient with us as we try and make this work for all of us this winter.

I am glad they are being proactive. The people living in Big Tujunga Canyon are going to have a very stressful winter.

Last night channel 7 news had a story with Brownwen Aker packing. She said she was evacuating for the season.

See: http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?secti ... id=7060028

Channel 7 news just repeated the clip with Bronwen Aker.
Let's hope the weather service is wrong this time around, so that more preparations and planning can be done before future and winter rains come.
Positve thoughts to all who have to deal with personal safety and evacuating again.

Thank you so much for this post.
I have been telling folks to be prepared. If you do not have flood insurance please get it NOW. I am not a big supporter of insurance. In this case I make an exception. THIRTY days to process your flood insurance application. Its a separate policy from your normal house insurance. You must apply and expect a 30 day wait period and during that 30 days you are not covered. Call now so you are covered by the time we are well into the rainy season. Its about $350 per year.

That $350 may be a saving grace to you. I use Farmer's Insurance, a lady named Beverly is very knowledgeable on this stuff. Her number is 818-558-3315. I do not benefit in any way if you do or do not call. I am simply offering a resource that I just used.

Bronwen is our friend in Big T who had one of the very few houses to survive the firestorm.

Also on channel 7, I saw a gal from Riverwood. That's where my friends are. Underneath their property is a buried house from a debris flow. I think from 1978. Good luck to all of us!! The news vans and helicopters are out which further adds to our anxiety imo.

i am hoping this is not what we have to look forward too
http://www.semp.us/publications/biot_re ... BiotID=365
its about the 1933/34 flood of altadena and la cresenta

I'm going to Fire Station 24 to check on the Sand and Sandbags to make sure we have adequate supply. I'm hoping the weather report is wrong as it sometimes and this stom passes us by!!

That was quite a disaster. As I was reading the text, I happened upon this ;

"........Upon reaching the basin floor the colossal debris flows buried 200 houses and rendered another 400 uninhabitable. Also buried were around 800 mostly Model “A” cars in Montrose, La Crescenta, and other foothill communities in the narrow La Canada Valley between the San Gabriel and Verdugo Mountains. .."

We have friends in Eby Canyon up in Riverwood Ranch who survived the flood after the 75 fire. Now here they are again! We had tewo friends who watched their home wash away back then. It is crazy scary and I just pray that this "el nino" season does not create deja vu for them!

I went by Station 24 on Wentworth. There is a good size pile of Sand there, but it's not covered. Sand Bags and shovel are in the Firestation.
If someone has any plastic or tarp they would want to donate, I think the sand needs to be covered or else it's not going to be of value if it gets wet. If anyone wants to do it, the can get some rocks from the riverbed to hold it in place. Please...........?!!! If you can do it, please let me know so we can thank you properly. If you need to buy it, I am sure the STNC can reimburse you for the cost. If they can,t I will!
I used some of that sand several years ago in the back of my garage to keep the property next door from coming in my back door. It works!

Nina Royal
Chair, Safety Committee
STNc





Nina

It poured rain last night at the beach... Did it rain that hard in the Foothills? Is everyone safe and sound

Not much rain in Tujunga so far at 10am Tuesday, streets are dry.
Some drizzle last night.

We had rain here a few minutes ago but it was very light. The GNP says the heavy rain is due around midnight tonight.

Sandbags are available at local fire stations and at Dunsmore Park - per lots of info in the other threads.