Buck Wargo
CITY HALL -- Glendale hillsides withstood heavy showers Thursday
without triggering any damage from mud or debris, city officials said.
Glendale received .49 inches of rain by late afternoon.
Efforts by city officials in January to prevent slides appear to have
paid off for now. More than 500 hillside acres were burned by the San
Rafael Hills fire in December.
Bales of hay were placed around the Glendale Sports Complex to keep
mud, rock and debris from flowing onto the athletic fields. Some mud
water flowed next to the sports complex Thursday but nothing went onto
the fields, said Al Lee, a city street superintendent.
The lone major accident reported Thursday in the area happened at 1:32
p.m. when a car veered through a window at Star Ford, 901 S. Brand Blvd.
The car struck a vehicle inside the showroom, said police spokesman Sgt.
Rick Young. No major injuries were reported and it was unknown if the
rain contributed to the accident.
In January, concrete rails were placed around the Park Manor Reservoir
to protect the city's water supply. Hillsides were sprayed with hydro
mulch -- a sand-like substance mixed with water and an adhesive material.
Debris basins were cleared out after recent rains so water could
drain. Residents were also given free sandbags to protect their
properties. Brush burned off in the fire has sprouted new growth.
"Those hills can soak up a lot more rain," said Capt. Ron Gulli, the
city's emergency services coordinator. "The rain has been very light, and
there is a distance between storms. The stuff has trickled on down. We
couldn't ask for a better situation to help for more growth on the
hillsides."
City Engineer Lou LeBlanc said city officials have been in contact
with residents in areas prone to flooding because of the fires. Some
residents were told to put plywood on sliding glass doors and sandbags
behind their homes to divert flows away from their properties, he said.
Glendale has recorded 2.71 inches of rain since July 1. It's the
driest season since 2.03 inches fell through Feb. 2 in 1923-24. The
normal rainfall for the season is 12.34 inches, said Glendale amateur
climatologist Bob Gregg.
FOUR-DAY FORECAST
* TODAY: Partly cloudy skies with a chance of showers. Highs in the
low 60s, lows in the mid-40s.
* SATURDAY: Mostly cloudy with a chance of showers. Highs in the lower
60s, lows in the mid-40s.
* SUNDAY: Clearer skies, with no rain expected. Highs in the low 60s,
lows in the mid-40s.
* MONDAY: Chance of showers. Highs in the low 60s, lows in the
mid-40s. SOURCE: National Weather Service.
