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More than 1,500 acres burned

VIDEO: Station fire remains out of control as of 5 p.m.

August 28, 2009|By Veronica Rocha

LA CAÑADA — Fire officials on Friday upgraded the status of the Station fire above La Cañada Flintridge to the most serious response level as it continued to burn out of control toward Altadena, with more than 1,500 acres charred as of 5 p.m. Friday, fire officials said.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger Friday afternoon declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County. Four wildfires are currently ablaze in the foothills and other parts of the Southland, including the Palos Verdes Peninsula.

One person had been injured in the Station fire as of midday Friday, Jorge Segura, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said.

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He was unclear whether the injured person was a La Cañada resident or firefighter.

The blaze started at 3:20 p.m. Wednesday near the Angeles Crest Highway just north of La Cañada in the Angeles National Forest. Firefighters lost control of the fire when it jumped a main ridge last night.

As of 5 p.m. Friday, fire officials said the Station fire was uncontrolled as they shut Big Tujunga Canyon Road.

“Containment has gone to zero,” Segura said.

No structures were destroyed or damaged Friday evening, although 628 homes, 31 outhouses and two commercial buildings were being threatened by the fire, he added.

“Our biggest priority is lifesaving,” Segura said.

Flames also came within 300 yards from homes along Angeles Forest Highway as helicopters dropped water on the blaze and fire crews attempted to establish lines around the fire.

Resident Evelyn Dreyfuss’ home was one of those that firefighters were fighting to save.

She and her husband just moved into their home on Bay Tree Road and Lone Grove Way a year ago.

“My worst concern is that the house is going to burn,” she said.

Dreyfuss was willing to leave her home Thursday night, but she said her husband wanted to stick around.

“By the time we went to bed it was pretty well contained and then we got up in the morning and their was no trace of it, other than the smoke,” she said.

Dreyfuss packed records, checkbooks, clothes and toiletries, but she was sticking around until “they tell us we have to go.”

Kathy Weninger was filming fire crews — a dust mask and handkerchief over face — as they battled the fire a street away from her home.

She said she had never seen a fire as dramatic as the Station blaze in her 11 years of living near the forest.

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