As fire-fanning winds continue, Southern California readies for potential rain and toxic runoff

Los Angeles prepares for rain to prevent mudslides after wildfires, with cleanup efforts underway and evacuation orders lifted.

Parched Southern California continued to face dangerous winds but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, forecasters said Tuesday (January 22, 2025), dampening the prospects of another round of killer wildfires though even a small amount of precipitation could could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff.

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Los Angeles officials were preparing for that prospect even as a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades area and firefighters battled small blazes that broke out.

Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of the possible weekend rain, which could create mud and debris flows.

“This is to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff,” Bass said during a news conference.

A 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain was forecast for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 cm), according to Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service’s office for Los Angeles. However up to an inch (2.5 centimeters) could fall in localized thunderstorms, which would be a worst-case scenario if enough to trigger debris flows on scorched hillsides.

“But even if the rain doesn’t materialize this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that they’ll have to deal with for months or years,” Kittell said.