Mudslides and floods swamp LA as much-needed rains fall on fire zones – New York Post
A weekend storm in Los Angeles helped tamp down the most damaging wildfires in California history, but it also brought flooding and mudslides that have shut down highways and schools and left emergency vehicles stuck in the mud.The first significant rainfall in months doused Los Angeles city and county, with more than an inch of rain falling on parts of the northern hills in and around the burn zones.But the area’s scorched, ash-covered soil then washed down the hillsides, covering roadways in mud and leaving helpless drivers — including those in emergency vehicles — trapped.At least one fire truck battling the Palisades Fire had to be rescued from the muck, a video from Fox Weather shows, and emergency crews were forced to use a bulldozer to dig out four vehicles trapped on a highway in Woodland Hills just north of the fire.The dangerous road conditions also led public schools on Malibu to close Monday, and mud and debris shut down a section of the 5 Freeway north of Los Angeles — a major artery into the city.Flooding also shut down a section of the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu and Highway 101 through downtown LA, according to ABC 7.The National Weather Service issued broad flash-flood warnings over the weekend near the burn areas, saying, “A life-threatening debris flow will be possible.” The warning was lifted Sunday night, but a flash-flood watch will remain in effect for the region through Monday afternoon.In better news, firefighters have nearly completely contained the Palisades and Eaton fires, which together torched nearly 40,000 acres (62 square miles). Those fires will continue to burn as they consume available fuel — mostly trees and shrubbery in the woody hills — but the rains should help quench them, officials said.Advertisement
