Hot – and Dangerous – Month

It’s September, school is in session and life is getting a little back to our new normal; however, with September comes extreme heat.

The state’s power grid was stressed by record heat across the entire service area over the holiday weekend, currently affecting close to 36,000 Southern California Edison – SCE – customers. SCE is doing everything it can to call in more repair crews to reach all of our community residents. The scope of outages – both actual and proposed – is enormously challenging and the Council is asking for patience from all of our residents.

Remember: If you see a downed power line, always consider it energized. Stay away and call 9-1-1. Crescenta Valley residents and SCE customers can report or inquire about outages by calling (800) 611-1911; latest information is also available at sce.com/outages. You can also stay informed by visiting sce.com/staysafe, twitter.com/sce and facebook.com/sce.

Los Angeles County welcomed the Super Scoopers back from Quebec for the 27th consecutive year to tackle wildfires. With a capacity of up to 1,600 gallons of water, Super Scoopers exceed the capabilities of other fire aircraft. LA County is experiencing high temperatures, dry terrain and gusty winds, so we’re glad to have these aircraft here to support our talented firefighters.

We anticipate fires will begin picking up in the coming weeks, so please be sure to have an evacuation plan in place. In case of an evacuation, bring snacks, water, medication, photo ID, important documents, cellphone and charger. Also, make sure to clear brush around your house to keep fires at bay. Stay up-to-date on social media during an emergency by visiting the LA County Fire Dept., the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Dept., and the Red Cross Los Angeles. Visit the fire department’s website to read its Ready! Set! Go! wildfire action plan to ensure you’re prepared.

Illegal dumping is still happening in our community. In the unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, including parts of La Crescenta and Montrose, there is a trash responsibility ordinance that requires residents to dispose of their trash on a weekly basis. You are responsible for any trash that is in front of your home, even if that trash is not something you put there. Bulky items left on the street have become a danger, not just due to their size and unsanitary conditions, but also because many items are dumped on sidewalks. This is a safety concern for people walking in the neighborhoods. Please take pride in our community and keep it clean.

Another issue that has come up in our community is construction without permits. A home or business is a significant investment for a property owner. Work done without obtaining a required permit is illegal construction. Unpermitted construction can cause problems for current or future property owners. It can also affect resale value. If you would like to report a violation, call 2-1-1. This is a countywide hotline answered 24 hours a day. If you are unsure if you need a permit, check out https://dpw.lacounty.gov/building-and-safety/permits/.

And lastly, don’t forget our monthly CV Town Council meetings. For those who have an interest in attending and participating in our virtual meetings and want to submit comments and/or questions, we encourage you to please contact CVTC at contact@thecvcouncil.com. Election season for the CV Town Council is coming soon. Keep an eye open on our website and Facebook page for more info.

Thank you for doing your part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keeping our community safe and clean. Thank you for protecting your family, friends, neighbors and community.

Stay healthy, stay safe and stay home.

Harry Leon, President

CV Town Council