Southern California is experiencing its wettest rainy season since records began, triggering flooding and fears of mudslides, particularly in areas hit by wildfires.
As much as 3-6 inches of rain is expected in coastal areas over the next few days, which the NWS described as a “high risk of flooding and burn scar debris flows”.
Governor Gavin Newsom has ordered a “whole-of-government response” to the flood threat, with Cal OES pre-positioning hundreds of thousands of sandbags and swift water rescue crews.
New data shows that the recently-contained Eaton Fire burn scar is vulnerable to liquefaction, which could channel a destructive slurry of mud, gravel and charred organic matter towards the LA districts of Altadena and Sierra Madre, and similar debris flows could affect Malibu and Santa Monica as a result of the Palisades Fire.
Rising temperatures and more frequent, intense droughts are exacerbating the issue, with wildfires increasing in frequency and intensity.
