The fire in the Angeles National Forest has now burned over 105,000 acres and at least 74 structures. It is 5% contained.

The Station Fire started off Angeles Crest Highway (SR 2) about one mile above Angeles Crest Fire Station around 3:30pm [PDT]Wednesday August 26, 2009.

Two Los Angeles County firefighters have died in a motor vehicle accident. In addition there have been 3 civilians burned, and one firefighter treated for heat exhaustion.

Currently there are 44 hand crews, 399 engines, 43 water tenders, 48 dozers, 8 air tankers, 13 helicopters, and 3,655 total personnel assigned to the fire.

Among the aircraft is at least one DC-10, capable of 12,000 gallon drops.

The Whittier Daily News has a short explainer on the fire creating its own weather, including winds.

The facilities on Mount Wilson are safe for the moment, but there are no guarantees.

Links: InciWeb, LA Times, KTLA, and Pasadena Star-News [Note that the InciWeb is extremely slow to respond, and you will probably get a reset message]

Maps: LA Times fire map and the Enplan Wildfire Viewer

[For more information go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Fires” for all of the posts related to wildfires on this site.]

Position: 19.4 N 109.6 W [10 PM CDT 0300 UTC].
Movement: Northwest [320°] near 9 mph [15 kph].
Maximum sustained winds: 155 mph [250 kph].
Wind Gusts: 190 mph [305 kph].
Tropical Storm Wind Radius: 140 miles [220 km].
Hurricane Wind Radius: 45 miles [95 km].
Minimum central pressure: 931 mb.

It is 245 miles [390 km] South of Cabo San Lucas Mexico.

The government of Mexico has issued a Hurricane Warning for the southern portion of the Baja California peninsula. The watch extends southward from Bahia Magdalena on the West Coast around the southern tip of the peninsula and northward to San Evaristo on the East Coast.

This a small, intense storm in the Pacific, that might produce some rain for Southern California, but will be a major problem for the people of Baja. It is more of a huge tornado that this point.

Here’s the link for NOAA’s latest satellite images.

[For the latest information click on the storm symbol, or go to the CATEGORIES drop-down box below the CALENDAR and select “Hurricanes” for all of the posts related to storms on this site.]