super game From fires to flood risks: Rain forecast leaves LA County on edge

Updated:2025-01-28 04:05 Views:106

Workers secure a net to prevent mudslides over the burned side of a mansion in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

PACIFIC PALISADES – A flood watch will go into effect Sunday in the Los Angeles County wildfire areas, as authorities switch gears from worrying about fires to possible landslides.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch from Sunday afternoon to Monday afternoon for the Eaton, Palisades, Franklin, Bridge and Hughes burn scars.

“Flash flooding and debris flows caused by excessive rainfall are possible in and near the burn scars,” the NWS said. “ …Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.”

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Although the rainfall totals aren’t expected to be that large, the terrain in the fire areas is especially vulnerable to movement after the devastating blazes.

The NWS also issued a winter storm warning that will be in place from 4 p.m. Saturday to 4 p.m. Monday for the eastern San Gabriel Mountains, and a winter weather advisory during the same hours in the Golden State (5) Freeway corridor in the northern reaches of the county.

Forecasters warned that “heavy snow” is expected in the eastern San Gabriel Valley, possibly accumulating up to 14 inches in some areas, although only an inch or less is anticipated along the Grapevine stretch of the 5 Freeway.

For the rest of the area, rain is expected to arrive Saturday night or early Sunday, with only light showers anticipated through Sunday morning.

But “chances for higher rain rates will be increasing Sunday afternoon into Monday,” according to the NWS.

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The exact amount of rain expected has been in flux, with some forecasts initially indicating between a quarter- and half-inch, but others calling for slightly more. Thunderstorms are also possible with the system.

Local authorities aren’t taking any chances.

Mark Pestrella, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works, said this week crews were preparing for the potential rain, deploying K-rails, sandbags and other devices “to manage sediment and debris.”

In the Eaton Fire area, crews were using Santa Anita racetrack as a staging area for supplies, and on the west side near the Palisades Fire, Santa Monica Airport was being used as a base of operations.

“Currently, our crews are clearing debris from streets, cleaning and preparing debris basins, deploying sandbags and other systems to keep runoff with ash and other burn debris from entering the storm drain system,” he said.

“Public Works is also working with the state to coordinate the deployment of K-rail in burn areas.”

Pestrella urged burn-area residents who have returned to their homes to plan to stay indoors during the storm event, saying that while officials do not expect the rain to cause damaging flows that would mandate evacuations, sediment and debris will still likely flow into streets.

“This is not expected to be a tremendous amount of debris, but enough to actually cause transportation problems for our first responders that may be trying to travel,” he said. “I’d like to reserve those streets for our first responders.”

He said people who live in homes that back up to recently burned hillside areas can have county crews come to their homes and inspect their properties to see if any mitigation efforts are needed to protect against possible landslides.

But he warned: “If … there is a slope behind your home that is burned and it’s maybe 20 feet or more in height, and it is adjacent to the property in any direction, your best bet is not to be in that home when it rains.” (CNS)

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