Mudslides next threat in California
SANTA ROSA, Calif. — Storms brought rain to California on Monday and increased the risk of mudslides in fireravaged communities, driving property owners to stack sandbags in devastated northern wine country areas and leading authorities to order evacuations for Southern California neighbourhoods below hillsides burned by the state’s largest wildfire in history.
Forecasters issued a flash flood watch for parts for Sonoma and Mendocino counties north of San Francisco, warning that heavy rainfall could trigger mudslides in areas devastated by October wildfires. The blazes levelled entire neighbourhoods, killing 44 people and destroying more than 8,900 homes and other buildings.
“City crews are actively driving around looking for signs of any flooding, mudslides, things of that nature. They are making sure water is flowing, making sure debris clogging storm drains or gutters is cleared up,” said Santa Rosa Assistant Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal, who encouraged residents near burned areas to have evacuation plans in case they need to flee.
“The fire damaged a significant amount of trees and although a lot of the trees have been cut down and removed, there are still a lot of trees that could be a concern,” he said.
A years-long drought eased in California last spring, but Northern California had a dry start to winter and hardly any measurable rain fell in the south over the past six months. The extremely dry conditions and high winds last year led to some of the most destructive blazes on both ends of the state.
Now, the storm coming in from the Gulf of Alaska could dump up to 10 centimetres of rain on Northern California areas still recovering from fires before clearing up by Tuesday evening, National Weather Service meteorologist Steve Anderson said.
“Everything is soaking into the ground at this time, but if it gets very heavy, it could trigger a flash flood warning,” Anderson said.
In Southern California, about 21,000 people were evacuated from neighbourhoods beneath hillsides laid bare by the state’s largest wildfire and other recent blazes amid fears of flash floods and debris flows.