Rain in Southern California offers some relief for firefighters battling multiple wildfires, but also raises concerns about mud and debris flows in areas scarred by the blazes.
An aerial image captured by KABC-TV on January 27, 2025, depicts a mud-covered road in Topanga, California. Los Angeles experienced additional rainfall on Monday, January 27, 2025, following a weekend marked by mudflows. This precipitation, while aiding firefighters battling recent blazes, heightened the risk of debris flows in areas scarred by wildfires near Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and Castaic Lake.
Meteorologist Joe Sirard from the National Weather Service in Oxnard emphasized the vulnerability of these burn areas to rapid runoff, cautioning that even small amounts of rain within a short timeframe could trigger mud and debris flows.Los Angeles International Airport recorded nearly an inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain within a 24-hour period ending at 3 a.m. Monday, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Surrounding regions received lesser amounts. Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District remained closed on Monday due to hazardous road conditions and challenges accessing the schools. As of Sunday afternoon, a section of the Pacific Coast Highway in Los Angeles County was shut down due to mudflows in Topanga Canyon, reported the California Department of Transportation.Meanwhile, heavy snowfall blanketed the mountains in San Bernardino and Riverside counties. The rain brought a potential benefit for firefighters confronting multiple wildfires that ignited amidst weeks of dry, windy weather. LA County crews spent a significant portion of last week clearing vegetation, reinforcing slopes, and bolstering roads in devastated areas affected by the Palisades Fire, which started on January 7 during powerful winds and reduced entire neighborhoods to ashes. The Palisades Fire, the most extensive of the blazes, reached 94% containment on Monday. The Eaton Fire, which erupted near Altadena, causing at least 16 fatalities, reached 98% containment. The Border 2 Fire, which ignited north of Los Angeles, prompting evacuation orders or warnings for over 50,000 people, was 95% contained as of Monday morning. In San Diego County, firefighters made progress in containing the smaller Border 2 Fire as it burned through a remote region of the Otay Mountain Wilderness near the U.S.-Mexico border.Most of the region anticipated approximately an inch of precipitation over several days, but the weather service issued a warning regarding the risk of localized cloudbursts, potentially causing mud and debris flows downslope. Meteorologist Carol Smith from the weather service highlighted the concern on social media, stating that a localized shower settling over a burn area could be sufficient to trigger debris flows. In response to the wildfire threat and the potential for post-fire debris flows, Los Angeles County supervisors approved an emergency motion to expedite cleanup efforts and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. The motion also sought to install flood-control infrastructure and swiftly remove sediment in fire-impacted areas.
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