"All bad precedents begin with justifiable measures."
- Julius Caesar
Chantry Flat and the Old Mount Wilson Trail have frequently been closed citing high fire danger. Access to these citizen-owned federal lands is being denied by the City of Sierra Madre. All concerned citizens should act now before this practice becomes generally accepted.
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The current policy of Sierra Madre Chief of Police, Marylin Diaz, is to block these entrances to the Angeles National Forest on "Red Flag Days". Threatening closure signs are posted at the Mt. Wilson trailhead and at the entrance gate for Santa Anita Canyon Road, the latter being closed and locked to through traffic. The signs warn of $1,000 fines and/or 1 year in jail should you decide to access YOUR land. Police officers, which are lacking as it is in Sierra Madre, have been instructed to guard these entrances. On at least two occasions, helicopter patrols have been employed at great expense to the taxpayers.
So, what is all the fuss about? And what is a "Red Flag Day?" A red flag warning is issued by the National Weather Service (click here for Red Flag criteria) and is broadcast by local radio and television stations. It essentially warns of high fire danger. This is not a new program, but a lasting hysteria following the recent wildfires has prompted Sierra Madre's new policy. It should also be noted that the community has a relatively new membership in the Fire Safe Council. What we want to bring to everyone's attention is that on every Red Flag Day since the wildfires, the Angeles National Forest has been open. Of all the 650,000 acres of public forest in Los Angeles County, only two entrances were closed, both in the City of Sierra Madre.
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The reason for closing the two forest entrances is that they want to prevent the ignition of fire that may encroach on the hillside homes and "The Canyon" district of Sierra Madre. Do not make the mistake of believing that they are concerned for the health and safety of the hiking public; that is the responsibility of the Forest Service. The City of Sierra Madre is not liable for accidents in the forest. Nobody is more aware than us at the Pack Station of the dangers of losing a home to wildfire, but like the hillside and canyon residents of Sierra Madre, it is a calculated risk we take; and no citizen should sacrifice for our choices.
City officials are under the impression that keeping all the good and responsible citizens out of the forest will prevent the reckless and the nefarious from starting a fire. It is our experience that when the "keep out" signs go up, we only have people in the canyon that are willing to disobey signs, including the signs that say "no smoking" and "no fires", and we have no conscientious people to educate and/or report the trouble makers. The city's time and money, as well as that of the Fire Safe Council, would be better spent on creating a defensible zone around at risk neighborhoods, and thinning the overgrown exotic foliage of The Canyon. Citizens of Sierra Madre be warned: if you allow the police to start by closing the forest, and you do not become proactive about protecting your homes, you will soon find that you cannot park on the street during Red Flag, or stopped for your ID upon going home, or evacuated...
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The City of Sierra Madre claims that they have the legal right to close access to these public lands because they own the land through which the accesses pass. This is a specious argument for anyone familiar with the term "Historical Easement." Those of you that keep up with such things are aware of many examples where a historical easement has compelled a land owner to allow public access. Several in Altadena include the Altadena Crest Trail, the Millard Canyon trail through the La Vina development, access to Owen Brown's grave, and the trail through Old Man Zorthian's "Ranch". There was also the trail to Fish Canyon Falls through the Azusa rock quarry, among others.
The road to Chantry Flat was completed in 1935. It replaced the Sturtevant Trail, established in 1897, which was really the old Burlingame wagon road from 1879. The Old Mount Wilson Trail, built in 1864, basically traced the route of an old Gabrielino Indian trail from prehistoric times. These are two of the most historical easements in the San Gabriel range. Besides this aspect, the Sierra Madre position is as ridiculous as, for example, the city of La Canada-Flintridge closing Foothill Blvd. to prevent travel on the Angles Crest Highway. After all, that city has more hillside homes than Sierra Madre.
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Let them know what you think:
Sierra Madre, Ca
- Sierra Madre Police: (626) 355-1414
- Mayor: E. Joffe » ejoffe@ci.sierra-madre.ca.us
- Mayor Pro Tem: Joe Mosca » joemosca@joemosca.com
- Chief of Police: Marylin Diaz » mdiaz@ci.sierra-madre.ca.us
- Fire Chief: R. Low » rlow@ci.sierra-madre.ca.us
Angeles National Forest
- Angeles National Forest: Supervisor's Office » (626) 574-5200
- Forest Supervisor: Jody Noiron » jnoiron@fs.fed.us
- Los Angeles River Ranger District: maintains Chantry Flat & Mt. Wilson » (818) 899-1900
- District Ranger: Mike McIntyre » mmcintyre@fs.fed.us
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