...thank you very much for the new photos, Rob. It's uplifting to see the quick re-growth and explosion of post-fire wildflowers. From town, you can see our burnt hills already turning green, thanks to the Station Fire not being too hot, and not being wind-driven, and also a rainy winter. In five years the low chapparal will look same as it ever was.

But the higher oak and pine forests may take a few decades. The experts say a lot of the trees were not permanently damaged. It's gonna take me a few years though before I have the heart to re-visit my old stomping grounds.

"take care of the land...someday you'll be a part of it"

Actually lots of the burned areas were burned very hot because of the cumulus brewing on the backsides of the mountains while the burn was happening. In many areas all trees are just gone, burned to dust. It is going to take many decades to get some of those oak trees again.

Here is a link to an article posted yesterday regarding the progress of repairing ACH. The article mentions the re-opening has been pushed back to November. I'm betting that will get pushed again past winter. The photo gallery shows some significant repair work occuring a few miles beyond La Canada.

http://www.sgvtribune.com/ci_15445104

Thanks for that John. Also interesting is the investigation into the response of the Forest Service to the outbreak of the Station Fire during the first 48 hours or so.

Here is the most recent and telling article in the L.A. Times about the Day 2 aerial assault just before it went out of control. Disturbing to say the least...

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-station-fire-20100705,0,7356095.story

further, here is the perspective of a knowledgeable retired insider:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-station-fire-20100518,0,7290561.story

johnm wrote:Here is the most recent and telling article in the L.A. Times about the Day 2 aerial assault just before it went out of control. Disturbing to say the least...

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-station-fire-20100705,0,7356095.story

further, here is the perspective of knowledgeable retired insider:

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-station-fire-20100518,0,7290561.story

It is disappointing to read that a lot of this could have been prevented, perhaps they could have diverted some of the resources from Adventure Pass enforcement. I bet they could have knocked it out in no time with all those extra bodies available.

Ah, man, I heard rumors it was still going to open in July. I guess not

This whole mess could've been prevented by controlled burns. Too bad some whiners from the city didn't like the smoke. I wonder if they liked the smoke from the wildfire better...

All I know is that driving north on the 405 out of LAX, August 31st, the smoke plume was one of the most spectacular, yet mortifying things I have ever seen.

pjames wrote:All I know is that driving north on the 405 out of LAX, August 31st, the smoke plume was one of the most spectacular, yet mortifying things I have ever seen.

It was massive and could be seen all the way from OC!

Gary Schenk wrote:

Rob wrote:Some of the Station Fire burn areas, will be opening on May 25th.

Some bikers from Las Vegas don't feel the need to wait...
http://www.702sportbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33190

Morons. Wish the CHP could have nailed them harder.

Sean Kenney wrote:

Gary Schenk wrote:

Rob wrote:Some of the Station Fire burn areas, will be opening on May 25th.

Some bikers from Las Vegas don't feel the need to wait...
http://www.702sportbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33190

Morons. Wish the CHP could have nailed them harder.

Why does that make them morons? They weren't hurting anyone. Even the construction crews didn't seem to mind- to the point that the foreman advised them there was a CHP officer at the other end.

Nailed them harder? The fine is a bit over $200 as I understand it. Seems like plenty.

Haha, that's awesome they passed the sign. Tax dollars paid for that freakin' road; might as well use it. I don't blame them.

mrchad9 wrote:

Sean Kenney wrote:

Gary Schenk wrote:

Rob wrote:Some of the Station Fire burn areas, will be opening on May 25th.

Some bikers from Las Vegas don't feel the need to wait...
http://www.702sportbikes.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=33190

Morons. Wish the CHP could have nailed them harder.

Why does that make them morons? They weren't hurting anyone. Even the construction crews didn't seem to mind- to the point that the foreman advised them there was a CHP officer at the other end.

Nailed them harder? The fine is a bit over $200 as I understand it. Seems like plenty.

Sorry. I forgot that road closure signs are just stupid and wasting the time of the CHP is funny. Perhaps if they weren't morons they'd have checked road conditons before they wound up at a closed gate, low on fuel. It's bad enough on any given weekend with the idiots that think Hwy 2 is there personal race track. Yes, they're morons who came all the way from Vegas to ride a closed road. As for not hurting anyone...Perhaps not, but should one of these morons wreck, it will be the CHP, fire and sheriffs that have to pick the piece off the road at best.

Nailed harder? Yeah. Littering can get you $1000 fine. I think wasting the time of officers and ignoring posted highway signs is a bargin at $200.

But people passing the road closed sign to hike and ride their bicycle is ok? While I don't think their decision was very smart, no one should be pointing fingers just because they hate on bikers. Most people on this site would probably do the same to hike and bike... Same thing...

Gary Schenk wrote:If those guys had an accident, they would have sued the state, you can bet. And they would have won, no doubt, on the grounds that the barricades were not good enough to keep them out.

That's the biggest joke I ever heard! You trespass and can sue, wtf?! Sweet, so this weekend, I'll go ride my bike on ACH, run off the side and collect some money LOL