Sayre Fire
Location: Sylmar, Los Angeles Co. CA
Specific Location: Schoolhouse Canyon to Kagel Mountain, Sylmar Hills
Date of Origin: 11/14/2008
Cause: Under investigation
Situation as 11/19/2008 at 9:15 PM
Personnel: 1,360
Size: 11,234 acres
Percent contained: 85%
Los Angeles City and County damage inspection teams continue fire damage assessment.
Fire activity in the Placerita Canyon area was limited to a creeping, smoldering ground fire. Firefighters are continuing to hold and improve constructed firelines south of Placerita Canyon and are putting out any hot spots 300 feet inside the fire lines.
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Situation as 11/18/2008 at 9:15 PM
Personnel: 1,301
Size: 11,213 acres
Percent contained: 70%
All roads are open except for Sand Canyon Road, which is closed (residents okay) at the intersection of Santa Placerita and Sand Canyon.
Fire is active on the northeast perimeter south of Placerita Canyon. The fire is creeping down slope with upslope runs between Gorman and Coyote Canyons.
Los Angeles City and County damage inspection teams continue fire damage assessment. The American Red Cross is accepting monetary donations at the Rose Bowl, 1101 Rose Bowl Drive in Pasadena to aid the families of the Oakridge Mobile Home Park.
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Situation as 11/16/2008 at 7:15 PM
Personnel: 1,410
Size: 10,077 acres
Percent contained: 40%
Cost to Date: $3,557,344
Structures Destroyed: 10 commercial buildings , 477 residences , 124 outbuildings
A formal evacuation with *no entry permitted* remains in effect ONLY for the Oakridge Mobile Home Park in the 15400 block of Glenoaks Boulevard.
All freeways remained open today. Resources continued direct and indirect line construction and improved constructed line. Resources patrolled and mopped-up around structures. Damage assessment continued. Management of the Sayer incident transitioned to CIIMT-4 and remains under Unified Command with Los Angeles City Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, US Forest Service ANF and Los Angeles Police Department.
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Situation as 11/16/2008 at 10:00 AM
Personnel: 1,100+
Size: 9,500 acres
Percent contained: 30%
Cost to Date: $2,000,508
A formal evacuation with entry prohibited remains only in effect for neighborhoods north of Olive View Dr from the Golden State (5) Freeway on the west to Pacoima Canyon on the east (see map).
Nearby residents are encouraged to remain prepared for evacuation, monitor news radio and obey the verbal orders of uniformed public safety personnel in their neighborhood.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health earlier issued an advisory regarding air quality, recommending precautions when outdoors in areas where there is visible smoke, soot, or ash, or an odor of smoke.
Weather sunny, Temp 92F, Winds NE 25 mph gusting to 35 mph, Relative Humidity 6%.
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Situation as 11/15/2008 at 9:40 PM
Personnel: 1,031
Size: 8,000 acres
Percent contained: 20%
Structures Destroyed: 10 commercial buildings , 613 primary residences. These include: 500 Oak Ridge Mobile Home Park units, 104 outbuildings and trailers on the Veterans Administration Hospital property, 9 single family dwellings and 10 commercial buildings in Sylmar.
16 patients were transported from Olive View Hospital to other area hospitals due to power outages
The following road closures are in effect: The eastbound 118 Fwy from the 5 Fwy to the 210 Fwy, the westbound 210 Fwy from Paxton to the 5 Fwy, the 5 Fwy from the 210 Fwy to Hwy 126, the 14 Fwy at San Fernando Rd. to the 5 Fwy, Sierra Hwy from San Fernando Rd to the 5 and 14 Fwy. The following area closure is in effect: North of the 210 Fwy East of the 5 Fwy.
Burn out on the NW perimeter along the 14 Fwy from Balboa Blvd to 1/4 mile S of the Santa Clara Truck Trail. Constructed dozer line on the Santa Clara Truck Trail from the 14 Fwy towards LACO Camp 9 and from LACO Camp towards the 14 Fwy.
The following animal evacuation centers are open: Large animals at Pierce College and Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, exotic animals at Sylmar High School and small animals at Mission Animal Shelter. The Olive View-UCLA Medical Center remains under mandatory evacuation.
Extreme fire behavior with wind and slope driven runs was observed with long range spotting ¼ to ½ mile ahead of the fire front. Significant fire spread occurred on the W, NW and N perimeters. Fire continued to burn actively on the W perimeter towards the Sesnon burn [here]. E perimeter has merged with the Marek burn [here].
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Situation as 11/15/2008 at 6:15 PM
Personnel: 1,100+
Size: 8,000 acres
Percent contained: 20%
Damage Assessment Teams are accurately tabulating destroyed structures.
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Situation as 11/15/2008 at 1:11 PM (LA Emergency Management Department update)
Personnel: 1,100+
Size: 6,500 - 8,000 acres (various reports)
Percent contained: 10 - 30% (various reports)
Active wildfire with extreme fire behavior due to strong and erratic winds. Flames being pushed west toward the former Sesnon Fire [here] burn area.
10,000 residents have been advised to evacuate. Evacuation centers: Set up at San Fernando Senior High School, 11133 O’Melveny Ave., Chatsworth High School, 10027 Lurline Ave., and at Kennedy High School, 11254 Gothic Ave. The evacuation center at Sylmar High School is full.
Reported: virtually all of the 600-800 homes in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park have been destroyed, and streets signs in the park had been melted by flames when 70 mph winds blew through the area.
Sayre Fire map/image from Google Fire Maps, afternoon 11/15/2008. Perimeter estimated from satellite-detected hot spots. Click on map for larger image.
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Situation as 11/15/2008 at 2:18 AM
Personnel: 500+
Size: 2,600 acres
Percent contained: 0%
~1,000 structures threatened. 10,000 residents advised to evacuate the area. Formal Evacuation Order for Residents residents in the North West valley has been established. Nearby residents are encouraged to prepare for evacuation, monitor news radio and obey the verbal orders of uniformed public safety personnel in their neighborhood.
EVACUATION CENTERS AND SHELTERS:
Sylmar High School
13050 Borden St.
Sylmar, CA 91342
San Fernando High School
11133 O’Melveny Ave
San Fernando, CA 91340
John F. Kennedy High School
11254 Gothic Ave.
Granada Hills, CA 91344
Chatsworth High School
10027 Luriline Ave.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
ANIMAL SHELTERS: Hansen Dam recreation area.
Sayre Fire map/image from Google Fire Maps, 11/15/2008. Perimeter estimated from satellite-detected hot spots. Click on map for larger image.
