LOS ANGELES — Rain started falling in dry Southern California on Saturday, helping firemen deal with several wildfires. Heavy rain on burned hills could cause problems like dangerous ash running off.
Los Angeles County workers spent the week clearing plants, strengthening slopes, and fixing roads in areas damaged by the Palisades and Eaton fires. These fires destroyed many homes after starting strong winds on January 7.
Most of the area is expected to receive about an inch (around 2.5 centimeters) of rain over a few days. However, the National Weather Service warned on social media that there is a serious risk of sudden heavy rain causing mud and debris to flow down hills, so it’s important to be ready for the worst.
“The issue would occur if one of those showers lands on a burn area,” said weather service meteorologist Carol Smith. “That might be enough to cause debris flows.”
The rain began on the Central Coast and then spread to Ventura and LA counties in the evening. Smith said it was expected to rise over the weekend and might continue into early Tuesday. Flood watches have been issued for certain places that have burned, and snow is expected in the mountains.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass signed an order this week to speed up cleanup efforts and reduce the harm from fire-related pollutants. LA County supervisors accepted an emergency plan to set up flood-control systems and quickly clear out sediment in areas affected by fires.
Fire crews made sandbags for local towns, and county workers put up barriers and cleaned drainage pipes and basins.
Officials warned that the ash from recent fires contains harmful materials from burnt cars, electronics, batteries, building materials, paints, furniture, and other household items. It has chemicals, asbestos, plastic, and lead in it. Residents were encouraged to wear safety gear while cleaning up.
Since 2018, worries about waste flows after wildfires have increased a lot. This is mainly because the town of Montecito, near Los Angeles, experienced severe mudslides after heavy rain fell on hillsides that a large fire had burned. Twenty-three people died, and hundreds of homes were injured.
The upcoming rain has stopped weeks of strong winds and low humidity, but some flames are still burning in Southern California. The Palisades and Eaton fires caused the deaths of at least 28 people and burned over 14,000 buildings. The Palisades Fire is 81% under control, and the Eaton Fire is 95% under control.
In northern Los Angeles County, firefighters have made good work in controlling the Hughes Fire. The fire started on Wednesday in the mountains near Lake Castaic and led to the evacuation of tens of thousands of people.
In San Diego County, the Border 2 Fire is still not well controlled and is spreading through a remote part of the Otay Mountain Wilderness close to the U.S.-Mexico border.
The rain was supposed to snap a near-record streak of dry weather for Southern California. According to the Los Angeles Times, most of the area has gotten less than 5% of the usual rainfall for this time of year. The water year started on October 1.
Most of Southern California is now experiencing “extreme drought” or “severe drought,” according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
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