Recent rainfall in Southern California has offered a glimmer of hope to firefighters battling the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles and surrounding areas, Al Jazeera reports.
However, the much-needed precipitation has also brought new dangers, with officials warning of potential mudslides and toxic runoff across the fire-scarred landscape.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued warnings late Sunday about increased “shower and thunderstorm activity” that could lead to localized flash flooding and debris flows in areas previously burned by wildfires. These warnings specifically target regions scorched by the still-active Palisades, Eaton, and Hughes fires, which have consumed over 15,300 hectares (38,000 acres). Areas impacted by the earlier Franklin, Hurst, and Bridge fires are also at risk.
As of 3:00 AM local time Monday, Los Angeles International Airport had recorded just under 2.5cm (1 inch) of rain in the past 24 hours. The heavy rainfall has already caused disruptions, leading to the closure of several schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District due to hazardous road conditions and access issues. A portion of the Pacific Coast Highway was also closed on Sunday afternoon after mudflows occurred in Topanga Canyon.
Adding to the concerns, officials have cautioned that runoff from the burn zones poses a significant health risk. The runoff, a toxic mix of ash and incinerated materials including cars, batteries, building debris, pesticides, asbestos, plastics, and lead, could contaminate water sources and pose a serious threat to public health.
Despite these dangers, the rain could provide a significant boost to firefighters working to extinguish the remaining fires. As of Monday, the Palisades fire, the largest of the recent blazes, was 90 percent contained. The fire, which began on January 7, has tragically claimed at least 11 lives and destroyed thousands of homes. The Eaton fire, which also started on January , was reported as 98 percent contained, after claiming at least 16 lives. The Hughes fire, ignited on January 22, was 95 percent contained.
The wildfires have been fueled by drought conditions and Santa Ana winds, which carry warm, dry air to the coast. Southern California has experienced increased drought conditions since December, with portions of Los Angeles County experiencing “extreme drought”, the second highest classification of the US Drought Monitor. Climate scientists have cited increasingly warm and dry conditions caused by human-driven climate change as a major factor in the frequency and severity of recent wildfires.
Last week, President Donald Trump visited California to assess the damage while continuing to criticize the state’s Democratic leaders. Trump has also made false claims about the state’s water management, alleging that more water from the northern regions could have been used to fight the fires. On Sunday, Trump issued an executive order claiming the authority to circumvent state water management if deemed ineffective by federal agencies.
