Southern California is expected to face more dangerous winds Wednesday but could receive some much-needed rain late in the week, dampening the prospects of another round of deadly wildfires. But this precipitation could create new challenges, such as toxic ash runoff.
Los Angeles officials are preparing for the eventuality, although a small number of residents have been allowed to return to the devastated areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena and firefighters have quickly put out small fires that have broken out.
Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to accelerate cleanup efforts in burned areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants.
She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible weekend rains, which could create mud and debris flows.
“This is intended to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff,” Mayor Bass explained during a press conference.
Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and remove sediment in fire-affected areas.
A 60 to 80 percent chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California beginning Saturday, with most areas likely to receive no more than 0.8 cm, according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the Bureau of the National Weather Service for Los Angeles. However, up to an inch could fall during localized thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if that was enough to trigger debris flows over burned hillsides.
“But even if the rain does not materialize this time, it could be a good exercise for these communities, because it will be a threat that they will have to face for months or years,” Mr Kittell warned.
-In 2018, Montecito, a town 130 km from the coast of Los Angeles, was ravaged by landslides after torrential rain hit mountain slopes devastated by a massive forest fire. Twenty-three people died and hundreds of homes were damaged.
Fire risks persist
Winds eased somewhat Tuesday afternoon after peaking at 60 mph in many areas, but gusts are expected to return in the next couple of days. Critical fire warnings have been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
“Our concern is about the next fire, the next spark that will cause the next wildfire,” said David Acuna, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Another concern was that the two major fires, the Palisades and Eaton blazes, could breach their containment lines as firefighters continue to monitor hot spots.
Fire trucks and water bombers allowed crews to quickly extinguish several small fires that broke out in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, authorities said.
Evacuation orders were lifted for the Friars Fire, which broke out near a San Diego shopping center, and partially for the Lilac Fire, which burned through dry brush after threatening some structures , announced Cal Fire. Nearby crews fully contained the Pala Fire, another small fire. The Clay Fire in Riverside was 40% contained as of Tuesday evening and evacuation orders were lifted.
President Donald Trump, who criticized the wildfire response during his inauguration speech Monday, said he would travel to Los Angeles on Friday.
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