The Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation warnings on Tuesday for residents living in the areas of the city savaged by recent wildfires ahead of heavy rain and mudslides expected later this week.
The warnings were issued for areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires, which collectively burned through roughly 40,000 acres of land and scorched more than 15,000 buildings in January, according to an interactive map issued by the LAFD.
Officials said that two upcoming storms in Southern California make those areas “especially susceptible to heavy rain” and “high mudslide and debris flow risk.” Some areas affected by the Palisades Fire are of particular concern for mudslides, according to LAFD’s map.
“Those living near recent brush fires should be aware of the extreme danger possible from debris flows,” a spokesperson for the LAFD said in a statement. “When rainstorms impact the Los Angeles area, storm drains, canyons, arroyos and other sloped or low-lying areas can quickly fill with fast-moving water and debris, creating a life-threatening danger.”
Sierra Madre Fire Chief Brent Bartlett, whose department battled the Eaton Fire, told NBC Los Angeles that “if a mudflow occurs, public safety and public works personnel will not be able to enter an active debris flow zone.”
“This means that if you stay behind, you may be trapped for days before emergency crews can reach you,” Barlett added.