Evacuation orders were in effect Thursday for thousands of residents in areas of Los Angeles as forecasters warned that California’s most powerful winter storm this season may cause flash flooding in the land scarred by the massive wildfires last month. According to the National Weather Service, flash flooding risk is expected across the Los Angeles region with the highest risks “in and near recent burn scar areas in Southern California.”
According to NBC News, the operation is huge with 319,00 sandbags, over 240 fire engines and 400 personnel in eight counties; nearly 120 miles of flood barriers have been put up in an effort to mitigate flooding and stop or reduce or stop the expected runoff from burn scars into rivers and lakes.
The warnings, which come into effect at 7 a.m. PT (10 a.m. ET) and last until Friday afternoon, cover areas affected by the huge Palisades Fire last month, as well as the communities hit by the Eaton, Hurst, Franklin, Bridge and Sunset fires. Statewide preparations for the large storm include distribution of sandbags and clearing of storm drains.
Portions of the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst fire zones as well as burn zones parts of the Sierra Madre (affected by the Eaton Fire) were in the evacuations zones, with warnings also in effect for parts of San Bernardino County affecting residents in the Bridge and Line fires burn zones as heavy rain was expected.
The Los Angeles Fire Department wrote in a statement: “Evacuation orders for specific addresses and evacuation warnings or several areas will be in effect from 7 a.m. PST Thursday to 2 p.m. PST Friday, due to high mudslide and debris flow risk. These areas are recently burned and especially susceptible to heavy rain.”
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned residents during a news conference: “remember, if you’re ordered to leave, you may be gone for several days. I cannot stand up here and tell you will be gone for 12 hours, 24 hours. We don’t know. It depends on the weather and the post-weather events that will impact your specific neighborhood.”
Road closures included Malibu Canyon Road, Pacific Coast Highway and Topanga Canyon; with some schools in Malibu closed Thursday. A voluntary evacuation warning also went into effect Thursday morning for parts of the Airport Fire burn scar in Orange County.
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