"The Station fire in the San Gabriel Mountains has taken an enormous toll on the environment, a fact that was particularly evident along Angeles Crest Highway, which remained closed to public traffic this morning.

Under skies tinged corral and gray by dense smoke, mile after mile of mountain and canyon lands along both sides of the two-lane highway, Route 2, had been stripped of manzanita, sumac, sycamore and pine trees that had not previously burned in nearly half a century.

Vistas had become moonscapes of dirt, rock and ash in the Angeles National Forest. Every few hundred yards, the charred remains of a squirrel or rodents could be seen lying by the side of the road. Some creatures, however, managed to survive."

Louis Sahagun reports for the Los Angeles Times Greenspace blog September 1, 2009. [2]

See Also:

"Big Cat Animal Preserve in Acton Readies for Fire" (LA Times)
[3]
"Air Quality at Hazardous Levels in Foothill Cities" (LA Times) [4]

"L.A. Equestrian Center Fills up With Horses, Donkeys in Path of Fire" (LA Times) [5]

"Caring for Animals Amid the Flames" (LA Times) [6]