Rain began falling across parched Southern California on Saturday, a boon for firefighters battling several wildfires. But heavy rain on the burnt hills could bring the threat of new problems like toxic ash flow.
Los Angeles County crews spent much of the week removing vegetation, shoring up slopes and strengthening roads in areas devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires. Two fires that broke out during high winds on January 7 reduced entire neighborhoods to debris and ash.
Much of the region is expected to see about 2.5 centimeters of rainfall over several days, but local cloud bursts have sent mud and debris flowing down hills, the National Weather Service said, adding that “the danger is so great that preparations for the worst are underway.” can be done”. On social media.
“So the problem would be if one of those rains gets parked over the burn area,” said Carroll Smith, a weather service meteorologist. “This could be enough to cause a debris flow.”
Rain began falling on the Central Coast before moving into Ventura and LA counties in the evening. It is expected to continue increasing throughout the weekend and possibly into early Tuesday, Smith said. A flood watch was issued for some burned areas, and there was a possibility of snowfall in the mountains.
Leaders take steps to accelerate cleanup
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order this week to accelerate cleanup efforts and reduce the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. Los Angeles County Supervisors also approved an emergency resolution to install flood-control infrastructure and accelerate the removal of sediment and sludge in fire-affected areas.
Firefighters filled sandbags for communities, while county workers set up barriers and cleared drainage pipes and basins.
Officials cautioned that the ashes from recently burned areas contained a toxic mixture of charred cars, electronics, batteries, construction materials, paint, furniture and other household items. It contains pesticides, asbestos, plastic and lead. Residents were urged to wear protective gear while cleaning.
Concerns about debris flows after fires have been particularly high since 2018, when the town of Montecito, on the coast from L.A., was devastated by landslides caused by heavy rains that left mountain slopes engulfed in a massive fire. Twenty-three people were killed and hundreds of homes were damaged.
many fires keep burning
While the impending wet season ended several weeks of dangerous thunderstorms and dry conditions, several wildfires were still burning in Southern California. These include the Palisades and Eaton fires, which killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures. Containment on the Palisades Fire reached 81%, and the Eaton Fire was 95% contained.
In northern Los Angeles County, firefighters made significant progress against the Hughes Fire, which raged in the mountains near Lake Castaic on Wednesday, forcing thousands of people to evacuate.
And in San Diego County, there was still little containment of the Border 2 Fire churning through a remote area of the Otay Mountain Wilderness near the US-Mexico border.
The rain was expected to break a near-record streak of dry weather in Southern California. Much of the region has received less than 5% of average rainfall in the water year that began October 1. Los Angeles Times Informed.
According to the US Drought Monitor, much of Southern California is now in either “extreme drought” or “severe drought”.
