I’ve been pretty depressed about what this fire has done to my mountains. Twenty-one of the last forty-seven hikes have been done in the Angeles National Forest. Of those, seven are in the burn zone. I have created a map using the information provided by InciWeb. I’ll try to update it as more information comes in. Below the map, I have included a few photos I took on the seven hikes within the burn zone. The area might not be the same again for at least a few years, if we’re lucky.

UPDATE: (08/30/09 at 5:00 pm). The Station Fire continues to burn out of control. Overnight, the wildfire wiped out another 15,000 acres bringing the total to 35,200 acres. 1,804 fire fighters have the beast just 5% contained.

UPDATE (08/31/09 at 2:33pm). I have added the estimated burn area for today. The fire has grown 22,398 acres on Sunday and through the night and is now 85,760 acres in size. Governor declared a state of emergency which brought in firefighters from around the country. There are currently 2,575 personnel working to control this fire, but it is only 5% contained. Yesterday’s total burn area is the smaller lighter color within the dark red shape (current burn zone). If map below is not being displayed, click here. Data to create this map was from multiple sources, but mainly from satellite imagery map at wildfiretoday.com.

UPDATE (08/31/09 at 11:33pm). I’ve made modifications to the map below. The earlier versions (now colored in dark red and purple) were “fire perimeters” and not “burn areas”. From what I now understand, fire perimeters are the defensive lines for firefighters. With this information, I have made a more accurate map of what parts of the Angeles National Forest the Station Fire has actually burned. This has caused the size of the area to shrink a bit in areas and expand in other areas. The fire has grown to 105,296 acres, expanding further east and crossing the Angeles Crest Highway near Charlton Flats. It has also expanded northwest towards Bear Canyon. Sunland is also seeing more fire this evening, where a friend took video of 100-foot flames licking the steep hillsides.

UPDATE (09/01/09 at 11:03am). I’ve been using data from GeoMAC (Geospacial Multi-Agency Coordination) to update my Google Map. The most current map is dated 08/31/09 but I did not see this data on their site late last night. So either it is dated incorrectly or it was the condition of the fire yesterday evening. Comparing the current burn area with yesterday’s, it looks like the fire has spread mainly to the east and west, growing to 121,762 acres. The foothills above La Canada-Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton, Soledad Canyon, Pasadena and Glendale burned last night. I haven’t seen any updates on Mount Wilson, which has a swath of “active burning” red on the GeoMAC image.

UPDATE (09/01/09 at 2:45am). An afternoon update at GeoMAC (Geospacial Multi-Agency Coordination) to update my Google Map. The most current map is dated 09/01 and updated within the early afternoon hours. The fire is spreading rapidly to the west, up to as far as Lake View Terraces, growing to 121,762 acres. Mt Wilson has heavy smoke but no visible flames from the observatory area of the summit. Within the next hour, a DSC_1917 Martin Mars Tanker will be dropping water onto the summit. Enough to “make it rain.” Check out the live feed helicopter footage on CBS News.

UPDATE (09/02/09 at 10:45am). I found a KML Google Earth file distributed by USGS and GeoMAC. The land area seems a little smaller than the Geothermal data I’ve been using to draw my map – especially in the west near Lake View Terraces. The size of the burn area is 140,150. Mt Wilson was spared yesterday, thanks to the water drop by the DSC_1917 Martin Mars Tanker.

UPDATE (09/03/09 at 2:00pm). Added fire line data (fromUSGS and GeoMAC) onto map (dark red). This is the fire line as of 3:27am this morning. The orange outline on the map is yesterday’s fire line. Here is the most recent Geothermal data with a map legend for deciphering the colors. The size of the burn area is 144,743 acres anhttp://www.kolbykirk.com/news/wp-admin/d is 38% contained (as of 1:30pm).

UPDATE (09/03/09 at 2:00pm). Newest addition (09/03) is the fire line (red) created by KML data distribution by USGS – geomac.usgs.gov.

UPDATE (09/05/09 at 2:00pm). Added two new layers to the fire line.  The KML data for both the Sept 4th (9:31am) and the Sept. 5th (6:25am) were distributed by USGS today.  I don’t know why they didn’t post any updates for the last day, but there you go. This will be my last update until Tuesday, Sept 8th.

UPDATE (09/09/09 at 12:09am). This will be my last update until the fire is out. InciWeb has really stepped up their reporting to a whole new level in the last week. Along with their excellent written coverage, they’ve added multiple ways to view the burn area on maps. Thus, I no longer feel the need to make my own maps. I’ll update my map (below) again when the fire is out.

To view larger map, click here.

Hike 2 – Colby Canyon Trail

Looking southwest towards La Canada Flintridge.

Hike 4 – Mount Lowe

A view to the west from Mt. Lowe Road.

Hike 5 – Lower Arroyo Seco

Fern Canyon

Hike 13 – Switzer Falls

Switzer Falls Canyon

Hike 18 – Millard Canyon

Upper Millard Canyon

Hike 41 – Haines Canyon (not blogged yet)

Near Sister Elsie Trail looking south

Millard Canyon

Millard Canyon

Tags: Angeles National Forest, burn area, Charlton Flats, Colby Canyon Trail, Gabrieleno Trail, Haines Canyon, La Canada-Flintridge, Lower Arroyo Seco, map, Mount Lowe, San Gabriel Mountains, Sister Elsie Trail, Station Fire, Sunland, Switzer Falls, wildfire