San Diego firefighters toppled a small brush Tuesday along a hill above the Mission Valley Mall in San Diego.
Grégory Bull/AP
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Grégory Bull/AP
LOS ANGELES — Arid Southern California is expected to face more dangerous winds Wednesday, but could receive some much-needed rain this weekend, dampening the prospects of a new round of deadly wildfires, though even a small amount of precipitation could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff.
Los Angeles authorities were preparing for the eventuality even as a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated areas of Pacific Palisades and Altadena and firefighters quickly controlled small fires that broke out.
Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday aimed at speeding up cleanup efforts in burned areas and mitigating the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible weekend rains, which could create mud and debris flows.
“This is about preventing additional damage to areas already ravaged by fires and also protecting our watershed, beaches and oceans from toxic runoff,” Bass said at a news conference.
Los Angeles County supervisors also approved an emergency motion to install flood control infrastructure and expedite and remove sediment in areas affected by the fire.
A 60 to 80 percent chance of a small amount of rain is forecast for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely receiving no more than a third of an inch (0.8 cm), according to Ryan Kittell, meteorologist for National Weather. Service office for Los Angeles. However, localized thunderstorms could fall as much as an inch, which would be a worst-case scenario if it were enough to trigger debris flows down burned hillsides.
“But even if the rain doesn’t materialize this time, it could be a good practice for these communities because it will be a threat they will have to deal with for months or years to come,” Kittell said.
In 2018, Montecito, a town 80 miles (130 kilometers) off the coast of Los Angeles, was ravaged by mudslides after a downpour hit mountain slopes burned by a massive wildfire. Twenty-three people died and hundreds of homes were damaged.
Winds eased somewhat Tuesday afternoon after peaking at 60 mph (96 km/h) in many areas, but gusts are expected to return over the next two days. Red flag warnings for critical fire danger were extended until 8 p.m. Thursday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
“Our concern is the next fire, the next spark that will cause the next wildfire,” said David Acuna, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Another concern was that the two major fires, the Palisades and Eaton fires, could breach their containment lines as firefighters continue to monitor hot spots.
Fire trucks and water jets helped crews quickly extinguish several small fires in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, officials said.
Evacuation orders were lifted for the Friars Fire, which broke out near a San Diego mall, and partially for the Lilac Fire, which burned dry brush after threatening some structures, a indicated Cal Fire. Nearby crews fully contained the Pala Fire, another small fire. The Clay Fire in Riverside was 40% contained Tuesday evening and evacuation orders were lifted.
Southern California Edison preemptively cut power to more than 60,000 customers in five counties to prevent new fires from being started by winds toppling electrical equipment; electricity was later restored to some. The utility was considering precautionary closures for an additional 160,000 customers.
Authorities urged residents to review their evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits, be alert to fires and report them promptly.
Bass also warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during Santa Ana’s latest wind event.
Low humidity, dry vegetation and high winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out on January 7. 63%, and Eaton Fire at 89%.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is investigating the causes of the fires but has not released any findings.
Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire, alleging that Southern California Edison equipment started the fire. On Tuesday, a judge overseeing one of the lawsuits ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire broke out.
President Donald Trump, who criticized the wildfire response during his inaugural address Monday, announced he would travel to Los Angeles on Friday.
