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63-680: On November 1, 1966, the El Cariso Hotshots, a U.S. Forest Service Interregional Wildland Firefighting Hotshot crew , was trapped by flames as they worked on a steep hillside in Pacoima Canyon on the Angeles National Forest . An unanticipated upslope wind came up in the afternoon and a spot fire was fanned and funneled up the steep canyon. The crew was constructing fireline downhill into a chimney canyon and were within 200 feet of completing their assignment when

126-473: A "wave of immigrants and working poor" had enveloped Sylmar, Pacoima, Arleta and Sun Valley , resulting in a housing shortage for lower-income people. The 2000 U.S. census counted 69,499 residents in the 12.46-square-mile Sylmar neighborhood—or 5,579 people per square mile, among the lowest population densities for the city. In 2008, the city estimated that the population had increased to 79,614. The City of Los Angeles Department of City Planning released that

189-470: A Los Angeles Police Department stop-in center, includes auditoriums, a lighted baseball diamond, lighted outdoor basketball courts, a children's play area, a community room, an indoor gymnasium without weights, picnic tables, an unlighted soccer field, and lighted tennis courts. The city also operates the Stetson Ranch Park., one of the city's two equestrian parks. Los Angeles County operates

252-427: A community building, a disc golf course, picnic areas, a picnic pavilion, and toilets. The Sylmar Hang Gliding Association operates their Sylmar Flight Park on Gridley Street near Simshaw Ave. Visitors can watch the activities most afternoons. In 1943 Sylmar volunteers, with cooperation from the city fire department, established their own branch station at 15097 Roxford Street, principally because Sylmar at that time

315-411: A community that still retained a largely rural atmosphere with corrals on large lots and horse trails that wound into the nearby San Gabriel Mountains. Tipped off by a Sylmar resident, dozens of investigators from at least five police departments and three federal agencies raided a warehouse at 12898 Bradley Street, on September 29, 1989, and seized some 21.4 tons of cocaine and $ 10 million in cash. It

378-504: A control line south from that facility toward Contract Point. By mid-day the north flank of the fire had been contained along the Santa Clara Fuelbreak up to Contract Point. With the exception of a few minor slop-overs, the east flank of the fire was holding along the ridge to a point 40 chains south of Contract Point (Stand 3). The Chilao Hotshot Crew, two Los Angeles County crews, and several tankers (engines) were working

441-921: A high level of physical fitness. Aerobic fitness is correlated with the time it takes to reach a safety zone. The minimum physical fitness standards for hotshots set by the National Wildfire Coordinating Group are: a 3-mile hike carrying a 60-pound pack in under 90 minutes, one and a half-mile run in 10:30 or less, 25 push-ups in 60 seconds, 45 sit-ups in 60 seconds and 7 pull-ups. These are the bare minimum requirements prescribed by policy and most operators far exceed these requirements. While not fighting fires, hotshot crews typically work on their host units to meet resource goals such as thinning , prescribed fire operations, forest improvement, and trail construction projects. Hotshot crews can also respond to other emergency incidents, including search and rescue and disaster response . In 2010,

504-559: A land-use document that would preserve Sylmar's image as one of "houses, horses and orchards" and would roll back the then-existing projection from 90,000 residents by 1990 to 53,500. The population actually reached 53,392 in 1986. A proposal in 1980 to build an 80-unit low-income housing project near Sylmar High School at 13080-90 Dronfield Avenue was rejected by the Los Angeles City Housing Commission after eight thousand signatures were gathered against

567-871: A large slop-over near Contract Point. At 12:00 the Dalton Hotshot Crew on-scene at Contract Point and were assigned by Division Boss William Westmoreland to build direct handline south from the Chilao crew along this east flank of the fire. At about 13:00 the Del Rosa Hotshot Crew arrived and Westmoreland directed them to work down the ridge ahead of the Dalton Crew. At 14:30 the El Cariso Hotshot Crew arrived on-scene. Line Boss Hugh Masterson briefed El Cariso Superintendent Gordon King. Masterson's instructions were to "leap-frog

630-415: A man who pointed a high-powered spotlight at a police helicopter monitoring one of them on San Fernando Road near Roxford Street. In 1993 it was reported that drag racing had been going on since the early 1970s, drawing hundreds of youths, and that the most popular "speed strip" was San Fernando Road near Balboa Boulevard. There had been four deaths within the previous two years. In one, a teenager speeding to

693-694: A minimum of one superintendent, one or two assistant superintendents, two or three squad leaders, and two senior firefighters. Hotshot crews are proficient in a range of fire suppression tactics. Like other handcrews , IHCs are primarily tasked with constructing, firing out and holding firebreaks , through the use of chainsaws , hand tools, ignition devices and water delivery equipment. Hotshot crews can engage in all phases of wildfire response, from initial attack to mop-up. They are also trained in specialized operations, such as hot spotting, spot fire attack, tree felling and structure protection. In order to effectively perform their duties, hotshot crews must maintain

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756-530: A museum best known for its collection of classic automobiles. The Nethercutt museum also houses collections of mechanical musical instruments, including orchestrions, player pianos and music boxes, antique furniture, and a historical locomotive and train car. Los Angeles Public Library operates the Sylmar Branch Library on the corner of Polk Street and Glenoaks Boulevard. The City of Los Angeles Sylmar Recreation Center, which also functions as

819-484: A place centered around equestrian activities. Today, the dramatic influx of residents has serious consequences for a community that has too little housing stock, too few employment opportunities, overburdened public facilities and decaying public infrastructure. The median yearly household income in 2008 dollars was $ 65,783, considered average for the city. Sylmar is home to the Nethercutt Collection ,

882-520: A series of hospitals in the neighborhood. There are fourteen public and eight private schools within Sylmar. In 1874, the settlement was named Morningside. In 1893, the name changed to "Sylmar", a fusion of two Latin words for "forest" and "sea" in reference to the large number of olive trees that once covered the area. In 2018, the northwest portion of the district called "Rancho Cascades". Sylmar has been nicknamed "The Top of Los Angeles," because it

945-600: A spot fire was fanned and funneled up the steep canyon. The crew were cutting handline downhill and most of the crew were unable to reach safety in the few seconds they had. Ten members of the crew died on the Loop Fire that day, and another two members died from burn injuries in the following days. Most of the 19 El Cariso crew members who survived were critically burned and remained hospitalized for some time. The Downhill Indirect Checklist, improved firefighting equipment and better fire-behavior training all resulted, in part, from

1008-454: A sudden shift of winds caused a spot fire directly below where they were working. Within seconds flames raced uphill, engulfing the firefighters in temperatures estimated to reach 2500 degrees F. The fire flashed through the 2,200 foot long chimney canyon in less than one minute, catching the crew while they attempted to reach their safety zones. Ten members of the crew died on the Loop Fire that day. Another two members died from burn injuries in

1071-506: A swimming pool. In addition the county operates the 96.5-acre (39.1 ha) Veterans Memorial Park in an area adjacent to and outside of the Los Angeles City limits. The site of the park was the site of a veterans hospital that was built in the 1920s and closed in 1971 due to an earthquake that killed many veterans and employees at the hospital. The park, which was dedicated in 1979, has barbecue braziers, group camping areas,

1134-440: A threat to the horse-owning community. Practically every corner on Foothill Boulevard had been purchased for development, and a 109-room hotel was planned at Roxford Street, a block from the hospital. "We are bound to be concerned any time you start bringing sick people, mentally ill people, indigent people into our community," said one community activist. "We welcome the hospital, but that doesn't mean we are going to sit back and let

1197-555: A village of tents. In 1927, the packing plant employed some five hundred workers during its busiest season. The 1971 San Fernando earthquake caused widespread injury and damage. The New York Times described two weeks later: The community looks like a battlefield. Dozens of houses are twisted beyond repair. Families camp out in tents or trailers on front lawns, afraid to return even to those houses not condemned ... All homes have been without water for drinking, cooking and flushing toilets, although some service has been restored in

1260-643: Is a team of 20-22 elite wildland firefighters that mainly respond to large, high-priority fires across the country and abroad. They are assigned to work the most challenging parts of the fire and are considered strategic and tactical wildland fire experts. Hotshot crews are considered the most highly trained, skilled and experienced wildland firefighters, along with smokejumpers . They are qualified to provide leadership for initial-attack and extended-attack on wildland fires. Hotshots are trained and equipped to work in remote areas for extended periods of time with minimal logistical support. They are organized by agencies such as

1323-455: Is approximately 1 mile north of Contract Point. The fire burned downhill in a southwesterly direction under the influence of 40 to 60 mile per hour Santa Ana winds. Contract Point was a key anchor point on this east flank of the fire, which was designated as Division A. Suppression efforts in Division A on the morning of November 1 were focused on protecting the missile facility and establishing

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1386-687: Is located within Los Angeles City Council District 7 represented by Monica Rodriguez . Eleven percent of Sylmar residents aged 25 and older had earned a four-year degree by 2000, one of the lowest percentages for the city and the county. Schools within the Sylmar boundaries are: Sylmar is serviced by the Mission Community Police Station of the Los Angeles Police Department . Olive View–UCLA Medical Center

1449-638: Is the northernmost neighborhood in Los Angeles. The foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains were transformed in the late 1890s by the Los Angeles Olive Growers Association. In 1894, up to 1,700 acres of land were planted with olives trees, and by 1906, the property had become the largest olive grove in the world. During the picking season in the early 1900s, 300 Japanese were employed and housed in

1512-472: Is the northernmost neighborhood within the city of Los Angeles , California, United States. Historically known for its profusion of sylvan olive orchards, Sylmar can trace its past to the 18th century and the founding of the San Fernando Mission . In 1890, olive production was begun systematically. The Sylmar climate was also considered healthy, and so a sanitarium was established, the first in

1575-652: The San Fernando Boulevard from the Sylmar olive grove and packing plant. A later advertisement stated the name of the subdivision as "Sylmar Acres," with "city lots" selling for $ 450 to $ 550. The property of the Sylmar Packing Corporation, with frontage of more than 4.5 miles on Foothill Boulevard , was offered for sale in October 1938. At that time it was planted in olives, lemons, oranges and figs. A 40-acre (16 ha) section

1638-624: The United States Forest Service , National Park Service , Bureau of Indian Affairs , Bureau of Land Management , and state/county agencies; the National Interagency Fire Center coordinates hotshot crews on the federal level. Prior to the 1930s, wildland firefighting crews were organized on an "as-needed" basis, hiring firefighters without any formal experience or training. The Civilian Conservation Corps , which operated from 1933 until 1942,

1701-684: The Yarnell Hill Fire near Yarnell, Arizona . Nineteen of the twenty members of the crew were killed when their escape route was cut off by an approaching fire. All of the entrapped members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots deployed their fire shelters . The incident was made into a film, Only the Brave . Sylmar, Los Angeles Sylmar is a suburban neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley and

1764-444: The 2021 population was 80,155. In 1980, Sylmar was predominantly white, the ethnic breakdown being 58% white and 36% Latino. Twenty years later, in 2000, the neighborhood was considered "moderately diverse" ethnically within Los Angeles, with a relatively high percentage of Latinos. The breakdown in 2000 was Latinos , 69.8%; whites , 20.7%; blacks , 4.1%; Asians , 3.4%, and others, 2.0%. Mexico (71.7%) and El Salvador (8.4%) were

1827-492: The 79-acre (32 ha) El Cariso Community Regional Park, which was dedicated to the twelve fallen firefighters and survivors, members of the El Cariso Hotshots, an interagency hotshot crew in the Loop Fire in 1966. The park has a lighted ball diamond, a basketball court, tennis courts, children's play areas, a community building, horseshoe pits, an indoor kitchen, picnic areas for large groups, picnic tables and shelters, and

1890-649: The Cherokee IHC was assigned to clear trees downed by rare tornadoes in Prospect Park and Kissena Park in New York City, their first deployment to an urban setting. On November 1, 1966, the El Cariso hotshot crew were trapped by flames in the Loop Fire as they worked on a steep hillside in Pacoima Canyon in Angeles National Forest . An unanticipated upslope wind came up in the afternoon and

1953-570: The Del Rosa crew and to cold-trail the fire edge if possible". He also mentioned that "the main ridge could be used as an alternate if impossible to follow the burned edge." El Cariso Superintendent King led his crew to a small bench below this south point of the ridge and held them there until he could determine if it was possible to cold-trail the fire edge all the way down. King could see the Los Angeles County dozers and crews working

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2016-684: The El Cariso Hotshot Crew being burned over as they worked from this stand location and up several hundred yards in the chimney above. In 2016, the El Cariso Regional Park located in Sylmar was the location where the County of Los Angeles honored the hotshot crew members who were entrapped on the 1966 Loop Fire. Hotshot crew In the United States , a Shot Crew , officially known as an Interagency Hotshot Crew (IHC) ,

2079-518: The Los Angeles Basin during the summer months and cooler during the winter months. The average high temperature in summer is 95 °F (35 °C), dropping down to 68 °F (20 °C). In winter, the average high is 66 °F (19 °C) and average low is 40 °F (4 °C). The population of the Sylmar area was roughly 3,500 in 1940, 10,000 in 1950, 31,000 in 1962, 40,000 in 1972, 41,922 in 1980 and 53,392 in 1986. By 2000,

2142-427: The Sylmar area led the northeast Valley communities (which includes Sunland-Tujunga , Lake View Terrace and Pacoima ) in residential burglaries and thefts from motor vehicles. Sylmar gently slopes upward as a geological alluvial plain and alluvial fan from an elevation of slightly more than 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level near San Fernando Road to slightly more than 1,700 feet (520 m) above sea level at

2205-541: The Taft Realty Company of Hollywood purchased 300 acres (120 ha) from Ben F. Porter and divided them into tracts containing 1–15 acres (0.40–6.07 ha) each, which it planned to make into a townsite called Sylmar. Part of the acreage contained orange and lemon trees, and the rest had been used by the Ryan Wholesale and Produce Company for garden and truck farming . The land lay directly across

2268-495: The crest of Hubbard Street. The overall range of elevation in Sylmar is approximately 600 feet (180 m). The slopes steepen into the San Gabriel Mountains on the north side of Sylmar resulting in steep residential streets with homes built on man-made terraces. Sylmar touches the unincorporated Tujunga Canyons on the north, Lopez and Kagel canyons on the east, San Fernando on the southeast, Mission Hills on

2331-408: The fire started to cross the bottom of the gully. Within the next 5 to 10 minutes the fire crossed the gully, made a run upslope to the bottom of the chimney, and then flashed very quickly up the length of the chimney. The steep rocky terrain made it very difficult for firefighters to move toward the previously burned area. Terrain conditions combined with the rapid fire spread resulted in all members of

2394-574: The first hotshot crews as starting in 1946 (Del Rosa and Los Padres Hotshots) or 1947 (Del Rosa and El Cariso Hotshots). In 1961, the Inter-Regional Fire Suppression (IRFS) program was developed, establishing six 30-man crews across the Western United States. These IRFS crews were stationed near airports for quick transportation to high-priority fires. Due to their effectiveness and value in fire management,

2457-430: The following days. Most of the 19 El Cariso crew members who survived were critically burned and remained hospitalized for some time. The Downhill Indirect Checklist, improved firefighting equipment and better fire behavior training resulted, in part, from lives lost on this fire. The Loop Fire started at 05:19 on November 1, 1966, from a faulty electrical line at the U.S. Army's Los Pinetos Nike Missile Site. This facility

2520-402: The influx of people change our life style." By 2006 Sylmar's open spaces were being rapidly subdivided. Resident Bart Reed noted that Sylmar was the last place in Los Angeles "where a builder can find a single-family home on half an acre. They can tear them down and build 52 homes" in their place. Longtime residents were concerned that the expansion would threaten their equestrian lifestyle in

2583-486: The last few days. There is no gas, no heat. Telephones are still out. Housewives must travel out of the community to find grocery stores that are still open. On top of that, Sylmar feels that it has been forgotten ... Four months after the 1971 earthquake, a methane gas explosion in a water tunnel being drilled beneath Sylmar killed 17 workers and is the worst tunneling disaster in California history. It resulted in

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2646-421: The line. At this point, there was no more than 500 feet separating them. Several individuals, who were working at the bottom of the fire, stated that the fire behavior was in a static situation with hot spots near the bottom of the gully and that there were favorable southeast winds. In addition, a helicopter was making water drops on the hotspots. According to these same observers, sometime between 15:35 and 15:45

2709-566: The lives lost on this fire. On July 6, 1994, nine members of a hotshot crew based in Prineville, Oregon , died after being overtaken by the fast-moving South Canyon Fire on Storm King Mountain west of Glenwood Springs, Colorado . Five other firefighters, three smokejumpers and two helitack firefighters, also died in the incident. On June 30, 2013, nineteen members of the Granite Mountain Hotshots perished in

2772-602: The loss of 489 residences in or near Sylmar, the "worst loss of homes due to fire" in Los Angeles's history. In 2016 the Marek Fire destroyed 41 homes. The plan of the Olive Growers association in 1898 was to divide the area into 40-acre (16 ha) blocks bounded by "broad drives," and within them 5-acre (2.0 ha) blocks would be laid out, "each one of which is upon a street." About a hundred trees would be planted on each acre. Half of these lands were placed on

2835-434: The lower edge of the fire and believed he could tie in with them. At about 14:45 Line Boss Masterson requested Division Boss Westmoreland to go down the east flank and make sure the crews were lined out. Westmoreland had a radio and several of the crews did not have radios, including the El Cariso Hotshots. By the time Westmoreland reached the tail end of the El Cariso crew, King had led the first units of his crew well down into

2898-420: The market in 1897-98 at $ 350 an acre (0.4 ha), with a minimum purchase of five acres. The terms were $ 350 in cash and $ 350 a year until paid for. The Olive Growers group would take care of the groves and, "When the premises are turned over to the purchaser at the end of four years, it is an established, profit-yielding property, without incumbrance." There is no record as to the results of this plan. In 1922

2961-424: The most common places of birth for the 36.7% of the residents who were born abroad, an average figure for Los Angeles. Mexican (57.8%) and German (3.2%) were the most common ancestries. In 2000 the median age for residents was 28, considered young for city and county neighborhoods. In 2000, renters occupied 29.2% of the housing stock, and house- or apartment-owners held 70.8%. The average household size of 3.6 people

3024-557: The most popular cruising spots in the San Fernando Valley ;— La Rinda Plaza at Laurel Canyon Boulevard and Workman Street — to be a public nuisance and ordered its owners to install overhead lighting, post security guards and install gates that could be closed at night. Illegal street racing or high-speed figure 8's are frequently heard by residents near the Sylmar Public Library. In 1991,

3087-496: The plan and protesters filled a hearing in the high school auditorium. In 1984 Sylmar was still largely rural, but there was an area of industrial development in its southeastern portion. In 1986, when its population was given 53,392, it still had some of the last large tracts of undeveloped land in the city, and the opening of the Foothill Freeway had placed it within a 45-minute drive of Downtown Los Angeles . Despite

3150-593: The population increase and a rise in the number of people living in condos and apartments, it was still one of the least-crowded areas of the city. Between 1980 and 1990 it was the fastest-growing area in the San Fernando Valley : Its population increased by 30.7% during those ten years in which the Valley itself grew by only 12.2%. Reopening of the Olive View Medical Center in 1986 was seen as an impetus to population and business growth, as well as

3213-739: The program expanded to 19 IRFS crews by 1974. In 1980, the term interagency hotshot crew was adopted by IRFS crews. In the mid-1990s, an Interagency Hotshot Crew Operations Guide was developed to standardize the training, qualifications and responsibilities of hotshot crews. As of 2018 there are 113 hotshot crews across the nation. The following is a list of all US Hotshot Crews and their agencies: Alaska: Eastern: Southern: Rocky Mountain: Northern Rockies: Great Basin: Southwest: Northwest: South Ops (Southern California): North Ops (Northern California): Federal Agency Abbreviations A hotshot crew consists of approximately 20–22 members, led by

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3276-561: The site rear-ended a car carrying a family of four, killing a mother and injuring her husband and two children. In 1997 Kenneth Acosta, 21, of Sylmar was charged with involuntary manslaughter after a drag race on the 118 Freeway resulted in an accident that caused the deaths of three people, all of them former members of the Sylmar High School band. He was granted probation and required to spend 250 hours talking to others about his crime. In 1994, city officials declared one of

3339-509: The slowest of all San Fernando Valley communities to develop its multiple dwelling areas, with permits issued for only 35 units in 1961 and 70 units in 1962. Sylmar's major growth came after the 1963 completion of the interchange between the Golden State Freeway and San Diego Freeway and the 1981 completion of the Foothill Freeway and 118 Freeway, which made the community easier to reach. In 1971 city planners presented

3402-573: The south, and Granada Hills on the southwest and west. The Valley shares the Los Angeles Basin's dry, sunny weather, with only 17 inches (430 mm) annual precipitation on average. Snow in the San Fernando Valley is extremely rare, though the neighboring Angeles National Forest is capped with snow every winter. Although Sylmar is only 20 miles (32 km) from the Pacific Ocean, the Valley can be considerably hotter than

3465-578: The state adopting the toughest mining and tunnelling regulations in the United States. A memorial for the victims was erected in 2013. Cal/OSHA . 23 years later Sylmar was hit again by the 1994 Northridge earthquake . It caused fires that burned over 70 homes. In 2000, two pilots were killed when two light airplanes collided over the Newhall Pass and landed in or near Cascades Golf Club in Sylmar. The Sayre Fire in 2008 resulted in

3528-527: The steep rocky chimney staying directly on the fire edge. As a result, King never had a radio exchange or face-to-face meeting with Westmoreland, who was his Division Boss. By about 15:30 the El Cariso Hotshots were fully committed, cold-trailing their way down through the steep rocky chimney canyon with Superintendent King and the lead elements of the crew just starting to approach this point. Division Boss Westmoreland had followed them about halfway down and observed minimal fire activity, but he also stated that it

3591-608: Was a work relief program that employed young men primarily in natural resource conservation projects. CCC members were also utilized for fire suppression operations, however, marking the first time that standing crews had been established for that purpose. At least one of the first crews carrying the name of "hotshots" originated out of a former CCC camp in the San Bernardino National Forest in Southern California . Conflicting sources report

3654-501: Was considered high for Los Angeles. The percentage of married women (55.5%) was among the county's highest. There were 3,607 veterans, or 7.7% of the population, average for the city of Los Angeles and the county. A study by four graduate students from the University of Southern California in 2005 stated that: Sylmar in the 1970s and 1980s was a rural, predominantly white, non-Hispanic community, whose residents focused on creating

3717-449: Was met with disapproval by residents at a community meeting. The city's master plan for the area called for much of the agricultural land to be converted to suburban uses, plus zoning that would permit more apartments. There would also be expansion of industrial districts and more shopping centers. The plan proposed that the 4,500 acres then zoned for agriculture be reduced to 2,000, or 17% of the area. City officials said that Sylmar had been

3780-460: Was not a clean burn. At about this same time line construction by the Los Angeles County dozer and crews, that were working west along the bottom of the slope, was halted by a deep gully. This gully was adjacent to and just below the chimney canyon that the El Cariso crew was working down. There was no radio communication capability between the two groups, but they did have visual contact. Independently, both were trying to figure out how best to tie in

3843-662: Was separated from other stations by railroad tracks. Today, the Los Angeles Fire Department operates Fire Station 91 in Sylmar. The Los Angeles Police Department operates the Mission Community Police Station in Mission Hills, serving Sylmar. Sylmar is located within California's 43rd State Assembly district represented by Democrat Luz Rivas and California's 20th State Senate district represented by Democrat Caroline Menjivar . Sylmar

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3906-456: Was the largest confiscation of the drug in history, estimated at $ 6.9 billion, enough for 1.38 billion doses. Three men were convicted on drug charges in 1990. Carlos Tapia Ponce, the warehouse manager, was given a life term, and in 2016 he died in prison at the age of 94. Other culprits were convicted later. Illegal street drag races and automobile cruising still troubles areas in Sylmar and adjacent San Fernando. In 1988, officers arrested

3969-449: Was to be set aside for a new townsite called Olive View and the rest subdivided into 5- and 10-acre (2- and 4-ha) farm lots, with many streets already paved and public utilities installed. In the same month, manufacturer and landowner John R. Stetson announced his 200-acre (81 ha) property adjoining the Sylmar ranch would also be divided and offered for sale. A May 1962 proposal by the city Planning Department for an increase in density

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