Los Angeles Times: Fire burns 105,000 acres with no control in sight

[marmar]

Fire burns 105,000 acres with no control in sight
August 31, 2009 | 3:43 pm


A voracious five-day-old wildfire that has churned through more than 105,000 acres of mountainous brush across northern Los Angeles County showed little sign of slowing down this afternoon as it threatened 12,000 homes in suburban tracts and desert communities, along with a historic observatory and major array of television and radio transmission towers.

With afternoon winds picking up, the Station fire, the largest of eight burning in the state, was plowing through dense hillside vegetation and steep terrain toward residential areas of Sunland and Santa Clarita on the west.

As billows of white and black smoke danced ominously close, Chuck Horn ushered his family and his two prized collectors' automobiles out of his home in the Sunland-Tujunga area.

"We took pictures, tax returns, insurance forms, the dog, the chicken, and that's it," Horn, 61, a retired L.A. County public works employee, said as he prepared to drive away in his baby blue 1931 Plymouth three-window coupe. Horn was next planning on moving his black 1911 Buick Model 33 away from the blaze. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2009/08/fire-burns-105000-acres-with-no-control-in-sight.html

[exman]

1. Big Cats Threatened

link to Huffington Post
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/08/30/calif-firefighters-wage-f_n_272113.html

An animal sanctuary called the Roar Foundation Shambala Preserve, six miles east of Acton, was in the mandatory evacuation zone, but fire officials decided removing the animals would be "a logistical nightmare," said Chris Gallucci, vice president of operations.

"We have 64 big cats, leopards, lions, tigers, cougars. ... The animals are just walking around, not being affected by this at all," Gallucci said. "But if we panic, they panic. But we are not in panic mode yet."

The preserve had a 22,000-gallon water tank, a lake and firefighting pumps, he said.


Sounds like they are prepared,but remember these cats are becoming rare in the wild, we can't afford to loose them.

link to Shambala:

http://www.shambala.org/

click on the gallery to see the animals

[FarCenter]

2. These appear to be "rescued" pets or exhibition animals bread in captivity

Usually these are of poor genetic stock, in many cases mixes of subspecies, and should not be permitted to breed.

[TiredOldMan]

3. I can see it and I live 60 miles away!!