Rain has fallen in Southern California after weeks of windy and dry weather, which is expected to help firefighters responding to multiple wildfires, but potentially heavy rain on burned hillsides could cause toxic ash runoff.
Los Angeles County crews spent the past week removing vegetation, shoring up slopes and reinforcing roads in areas devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires earlier this month.
Most of the region was forecast to receive around an inch of precipitation over several days, but the National Weather Service said “the threat is high enough to prepare for the worst-case scenario” of localized cloudbursts leading to mud and debris sliding down hills.
“So the problem would be if one of those showers happens to park itself over a burn area,” weather service meteorologist Carol Smith said. “That could be enough to create debris flows.”
Rainfall began late Saturday and was expected to increase Sunday and potentially last into early Tuesday, according to forecasters. Flood watches were issued for some burn areas, while the mountains were expected to receive snow.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat, issued an executive order last week to expedite cleanup efforts and reduce the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to put into place flood-control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in areas impacted by the fires.
Officials said ash in recent burn zones was a toxic mix of incinerated cars, electronics, batteries, building materials, paints, furniture and other household items. The ash contains pesticides, asbestos, plastics and lead. Officials urged residents to wear protective gear when they clean up.
Concerns over potential debris flows after a fire have been particularly high since 2018, when the town of Montecito faced mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes that were burned bare. A total of 23 people died and hundreds of homes were damaged.
The weekend’s wet weather in Southern California ended weeks of dangerous winds and reduced humidity, but several wildfires were still burning in the area on Saturday, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures. The Palisades Fire was 81% contained on Saturday and the Eaton Fire was 95% contained.
Meanwhile, in northern Los Angeles County, firefighters made significant progress against the Hughes Fire, which forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate when it erupted on Wednesday in mountains near Lake Castaic.
There was little containment of the Border 2 Fire in San Diego County as it burned through a remote area of the Otay Mountain Wilderness near the U.S.-Mexico border.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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