Alert LA messages went out Thursday night forewarning residents in La Crescenta and La Cañada of mandatory evacuations to begin this afternoon (Friday) at 4 p.m.  Residents are advised to be out by 6 p.m.

“We have not gone door-to-door yet but will at 4 p.m.,” said Sgt. Mark Slater at the Crescenta Valley Sheriff’s Station.

In addition to evacuations rain parking restrictions will be enforced.   All vehicles and garbage cans are to be off the streets.  During the recent storms vehicles acted as battering rams as they were forced down the roads by water and debris.

An evacuation center for residents has been established at La Cañada Flintridge Presbyterian Church, 626 Foothill Boulevard.

The evacuations are a response to the storm heading for the Crescenta Valley late tonight.  The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch for areas affected by the Station Fire from late tonight through Saturday evening.

“”The heaviest rain will likely come in after midnight [Friday],” said Bill Hoffer, of the National Weather Service.

There is a 70% chance of rain with possible thunderstorms late Friday into Saturday and another storm from Saturday into Sunday.

“Expect periods of heavy rains across all counties [San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles],” Hoffer said.

The rainfall is expected to be ¾ to 1½ inches of rain however it could increase to 2½ inches in the mountains and foothill areas.

“South facing slopes could see as much as 3 inches,” Hoffer added.

Rainfall rates could be as high as 1 inch per hour between 8 a.m. and noon on Saturday.

For information on evacuations visit Department of Works of L.A. County at http://dpw.lacounty.gov click on C.A.R.E.   or www.211la.org. Residents can also call the county’s information line at 211 or the CV Sheriff’s Station at (818) 248-3464.