The county of Los Angeles is preparing for rain just weeks after two devastating wildfires burned over 10,000 homes and businesses. Another calamity could result from the combination of the burned terrain and the approaching precipitation.
Residents are even more alarmed since the vast burn scars from the Eaton Fire and the Palisades Fire, which together occupied over 25,000 acres in the county, are now more vulnerable to debris flows and mudslides.
Both California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass have responded by urging that debris be removed as soon as possible because of the impending storm.
“As work continues to fight fires across Los Angeles County, the state is already working to prepare for the damage that can happen when winter rainstorms hit burn scars, causing landslides and flooding,” Newsom said. “This order helps keep our emergency response focused on protecting communities, not permits and paperwork.”
As a result, on Tuesday, workers were observed working hard to install sandbags to stop water from collecting in specific places, jute netting to prevent the ground from slipping, and straw wattles to manage erosion.
“This firestorm left behind serious health and environmental impacts,” Bass stated.
Near the Palisades Fire zone, unstable hillsides and poisonous debris from the fires could spill into the Pacific Ocean.
“Part of our mission is protect life, property and environment and we’e doing our best with the time that we have,” said Los Angeles County Ocean Lifeguard Captain Marco Rodriguez. “Obviously this area is affected by the fire so it’s gonna be a lot more impacted by the rain.”
Bass stated that swift action was required to save the ocean, beaches, and water supply, as well as to stop further harm to infrastructure and buildings. She was joined by Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, who further discussed the potential consequences.
“Adding water to this mess and saturated, unstable hillsides is the last thing we need. But we already know at some point it’s going to happen,” Park said. “Let me remind folks burn scars don’t absorb water at a normal rate, they simply add to the risk of floods, landslides and debris flow.”
Rebuilding retaining walls that were destroyed by the fire is a significant undertaking that must be finished in order to prevent the hillsides from collapsing. Currently, further concrete barriers are being planned to contain loose rocks and dirt.
Dozens of scarred vehicles also had to be removed from the Pacific Coast Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol. This is so that additional K Rails can be installed along the road.