San Rafael Hills

CITY HALL — The City Council on Tuesday approved a trails master plan that calls for dozens of new or expanded hiking, bicycle and equestrian paths that would link portions of the city’s 5,000 acres of open space. A series of public workshops helped create the master plan, which is a prerequisite for state trail funding, said George Chapjian, director of the city’s Parks, Recreation and Community Services Department. With the council’s approval, parks officials are expected to create a comprehensive planning document that city trails specialist Jeff Weinstein likened to the city’s general plan.

GLENDALE — Protected open space in north Glendale will grow an additional 175 acres after the Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority on Thursday announced the donation from local developers Sal Gangi and John Gregg. Open-space advocates and city officials hailed the no-strings-attached donation as a significant gift to the community, especially since all three parcels adjoin existing protected areas or parkland in the Verdugo Mountains and San Rafael Hills. “They deserve the respect and the honor of this community for a really generous donation,” said Laurie Collins, chief staff counsel for the authority.

Robert Shaffer GLENDALE -- Portions of Glendale and La Canada Flintridge that burned in December by the San Rafael Hills fire will beunder a flash flood watch today and tonight, officials from the National Weather Service said Friday. There is a 90% chance of rain today and it should be cloudy with a chance of showers through Tuesday, said David Sweet, a metrologist with the agency. Heavy rains could bring mudslides, he said. "We're a little concerned about the exposed area where the fire burned," he said.

Paul M. Anderson GLENDALE -- Although the recent spate of wet weather dropped little rain on Glendale's hillsides, officials are still on guard against the threat of mudslides. Glendale officials have decided against reseeding the San Rafael Hills, stripped of brush by a 514-acre brush fire a few weeks ago, said fire Battalion Chief Steve Howard. Instead, city leaders seem more partial to using a process called "hydromulching" to keep mud from sliding down the hillsides, Howard said.

Amber Willard GLENDALE -- Fire Department officials are reminding hillside residents to remove brush from near their homes in an annual effort to prevent damage from potential fires. With the start of Santa Ana wind season next month, coupled with a long, dry period, fires are more likely through December, said Doug Nickles, urban fire forester for the Glendale Fire Department. "We're approaching the critical stage. Vegetation is extremely flammable especially in fall," Nickles said.

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE -- It usually goes something like this -- a cigarette is dropped in between couch cushions and forgotten, where it is left smoldering and eventually starts a fire. That's a common scenario in fires involving cigarettes, said Glendale Fire Battalion Chief Steve Howard. "We've had fires like that in Glendale and they're very, very tragic," he said. "If there is one fire death, it is one too many from this type of problem."

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE - Throw the umbrella and slicker in the closet but don't put them away for good. After a possibly gray morning today, it should be nothing but blue skies, at least through the weekend, said meteorologist Curt Kaplan of the National Weather Service. "It looks like we're going to be in a drying pattern for awhile," he said. That's good news for those living near the hillsides scorched by the San Rafael Hills fire in December.

Gretchen Hoffman GLENDALE -- Brush conditions are drier than normal for this time of year, posing an increasing risk of fire, officials said. As the year wears on into the peak brush fire season in September, October and November -- when the Santa Ana winds sweep through the foothills -- plants gradually dry out, Glendale Fire Capt. Robert Doyle said. But moisture levels in the vegetation around the area are lower than usual, which translates into an increased risk of brush fires, officials said.

Glendale's new trails consultant is preparing a project for City Council approval to develop a trails master plan for the city. Jeff Weinstein comes to Glendale as a consultant after working as trails coordinator for Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Weinstein said, "I want to take the existing trails in the city and develop a map for use by hikers, bikers and horse riders." The emphasis will be on creating multipurpose trails, he said, though all trails won't be feasible for all uses.

Claudia Peschiutta GLENDALE -- Get ready to see green. Local Kiwanis clubs plan to beautify the area by planting about 1,000 trees throughout Glendale and surrounding cities this year. The clubs will kick off the planting effort on Jan. 27 with a "Tree of Life Family Festival" at the Glendale Sports Complex. The daylong event will include games and other activities, including a ceremony honoring firefighters who battled the San Rafael Hills fire.