Bobcat Fire as Seen by Air Quality

Air quality, according to BreezoMeter. That Monrovia has good air quality indicates the wind must be away from us and toward the fire. The purple-red indicates super bad air quality. Not surprisingly, that’s where the fire is. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Bobcat Fire Moving Slow But Winds Expected This Afternoon

(Photo from yesterday)

Bobcat Fire update from City Manager Dylan Feik:

The fire has continued to burn southward toward Monrovia at a slow rate. Around midnight, the marine layer arrived and helped slow the fire activity. There has been low to no spread since last night and is 10% relative humidity.

For Tuesday, September 8, teams will be working to build dozer lines and prepare for Santa Ana winds forecast to begin at noon thru Wednesday. These winds will be from 10-20 mph, with gusts up to 40 mph. The fire is expected to be active today and will become more active once the winds begins this afternoon.

Firefighting crews will be building additional dozer lines around the fire, focusing on the western and southern edges of the fire. Air support had been requested and they expect 4 - 5 helicopters and tankers to be operational today, weather permitting. Crews will also be roving in the community and making advance plans for structural defense in the event it is needed. 

We have been told to plan for the fire to get worse and we are asking all residents to be prepared and ready if an Evacuation Order is issued. Even when we don't see flames on the hill, the Santa Ana winds can change the fire conditions incredibly quickly. We are trying to give as much advance notice as possible and we will provide updates as frequently as we can.

- Brad Haugaard

North Monrovia Prepares for Two-Phase Mandatory Evacuation

A notice from City Manager Dylan Feik:

The Unified Incident Command Team, including the Monrovia Fire Department, United States Forest Service and the Los Angeles County Fire Department, are directing Monrovia residents in the foothill area below the Bobcat Fire to be prepared to evacuate. There continues to be rapid fire growth. Be advised-- this is an Evacuation Warning which means there is potential threat to life and / or property. 

When Incident Command decides to issue an Evacuation Order, residents must leave.

Please make those arrangements or plans to evacuate now in case an Evacuation Order is issued. Delaying planning arrangements may prevent fire crews from suppression activities and compromise the safety of the public and first responders.  

If an Evacuation Order is issued, the City will assist by coordinating the evacuation in two phases. View the evacuation map. 

The First Phase will be all residents residing north of Hillcrest Blvd. and north of Greystone Ave.

The Second Phase will be all residents residing between Hillcrest Blvd. and Greystone Ave., south to Foothill Blvd.

Residents will be notified of the evacuation order by the emergency alert system. Additionally, the Monrovia Police Department and supporting agencies will be notifying residents in the affected neighborhoods ordered to evacuate. The City will continue to provide updated information on the City’s website at www.cityofmonrovia.org/BobcatFire. 

Beginning Tuesday morning, September 8, 2020 at 7 a.m., the City will open the Community Center as an “Information and Cooling Center” where up-to-date information can be found. The number of the Community Center is 626-256-8246.

Residents should make evacuation plans now, including overnight accommodations. Evacuation sites for those displaced are being prepared-- more information will follow should an Evacuation Order be issued.

Those with large animals, horses and cattle, should begin to move those animals now. Do not wait until the Evacuation Order to begin moving them out of the area.  Accommodations are being made for animals at the Pomona Fairgrounds and Santa Anita Racetrack (limited capacity). To find out more information regarding the evacuation centers, please call  1-800-RED-CROSS (733-2767).

Those residents who need more time to evacuate, please make arrangements or plans to evacuate now in case an Evacuation Order is issued.

As a reminder, residents following Ready, Set, Go! should have evacuation plans in place, organized their emergency evacuation supplies, and have essential evacuation personal belongings easily accessible. Vehicles should be fully fueled, facing out in their driveways and ready to Go! Visit Ready Set Go! 

- Brad Haugaard

Progress of Bobcat Fire

The Bobcat Fire as of 8 p.m. Sept. 7. If you'd like to follow the progress of the fire, use this link: https://is.gd/1qJHnk

Thanks to Larry Marotta for the link.

- Brad Haugaard

Bobcat Fire at Night

The Bobcat Fire appears to be working its way down the mountains towards White Saddle, although it can also be seen further west. 

- Brad Haugaard 

South Blowing Winds Expected Through Wednesday - Gusts to 55 mph

The National Weather Service is predicting south-blowing winds (the Bobcat Fire is to our north) and low humidity (5 to 15%), not good for firefighting.

Red Flag warnings are in effect through 10 p.m. this evening, from noon tomorrow (Tuesday) to 8 p.m., and on Wednesday from 3 a.m. to 8 p.m.

"North to northeast winds* expected to develop Tuesday afternoon and continue through Wednesday. The strongest winds are expected Tuesday night and Wednesday morning with peak gusts between 40 and 55 mph."

"Conditions will be favorable for rapid fire spread, long range spotting, and extreme fire behavior which would threaten life and property."

Source: https://is.gd/yj1j8j

* Winds are generally identified by the direction they are blowing from, so a northerly wind is blowing from north to south.

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia High Facilities May Be Used as Firefighting Staging Area

School Board President Rob Hammond  has announced on Facebook that the school district, in cooperation with the City of Monrovia,  Monrovia Fire Department and Monrovia Police Department, has opened Monrovia High parking lots and facilities as a staging area in case they are needed in fighting the Bobcat Fire.

- Brad Haugaard

Location of Bobcat Fire Relative to Monrovia

This map from the National Interagency Coordination Center should give you a good idea of the location of the fire and other points of interest. Notice that the map shows the fire crosses over to the south of Rincon Road, which on various points along that road, mean that the fire  would be visible from Monrovia.

- Brad Haugaard

Bobcat Fire Update - High Potential for Growth

Update: ABC7 reports that fire officials are saying the blaze has a "high potential for growth" today. https://is.gd/6ttvC0

Despite how close the Bobcat Fire is, the air in Monrovia today is actually “good,” according to the app, BreezoMeter. I guess the wind is blowing away from us. 

I was able to see flames this morning on a south facing slope, from where you see the smoke rising in this photo:

- Brad Haugaard 

Prepare for Evacuations in Face of Bobcat Fire

In his latest report (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) City Manager Dylan Feik reports that flames from the Bobcat Fire are now visible and suggests that Monrovians "remain vigilant and on alert," and "have a plan in place and prepare for the possibility of evacuations."

He asks that residents not call the Police or Fire Department for fire updates, but check the City's website at www.cityofmonrovia.org/news. Also, if there is an evacuation order the Police will coordinate the process and every residence will be contacted individually.

- Brad Haugaard

‘Bobcat’ Fire Above Monrovia

The “Bobcat Fire” is burning north of Monrovia, near Cogswell Dam, off of the West Fork of the San Gabriel River. The city reports that there is "no immediate threat to Monrovia." https://is.gd/rJRAxv

Here's the location of Cogswell Dam:

- Brad Haugaard

School Board: Filming at Monrovia High Auditorium? More Money Going Out than Coming In

At its next meeting (agenda: https://is.gd/jz3ogm) the Monrovia Board of Education will consider ...

~ A deal with Real to Reel, Inc. for the company to be the exclusive location agency for any filming to be done at the Louise K. Taylor Performing Arts Center, aka Monrovia High auditorium. The district will get a cut of any filming arrangements Real to Reel makes. https://is.gd/d9gLpn

~ The School District is estimating it will be spending $945,925 more than it will take in during its  2020-21 fiscal year. It's ending balance will be $8,031,514, $1,153,954 less than the previous year. https://is.gd/q9WeRt

- Brad Haugaard

Monrovia Recycling Closes

Swept clean. 

Monrovia Recycling is closing. The large metals, glass and plastics recycling center on the north side of Duarte Road just west of Myrtle announced in Facebook that it closed today permanently. 

- Brad Haugaard 

Starbucks Pays for Barrier to Prevent Illegal Left Turns on Foothill

City Manager Dylan Feik reports (https://goo.gl/aOqX7O) that because there have been "issues" with people making illegal left turns into the Starbucks at the corner of Foothill and Madison, Starbucks has paid to have these traffic barriers - approved by the city's Traffic Safety Committee - installed on Foothill. The were installed August 28.

- Brad Haugaard

Weekly Coronavirus Count: 700 Cases, Up 26, 1 More Death

Coronavirus cases from LA Department of Public Health as of 8 p.m., 9/2/2020. Changes since 8/26/2020.

City of Monrovia: 700 cases (up 26), 37 deaths up 1
Unincorporated Monrovia: 77 cases (up 3), no deaths
Glen Park at Monrovia: 2 cases (unchanged), no deaths

- Brad Haugaard