Debris Flows

Los Angeles County officials this week warned foothill residents to stay vigilant against possible debris flows despite forecasts of a dryer winter. Representatives from Los Angeles County public works, sheriff and fire departments addressed the Crescenta Valley Town Council Thursday night to brief residents on preparations for the coming rainy season. While weather agencies have forecast a potentially dryer “La Nina” winter rain season, officials still urged residents to lay sandbags and take other precautions to protect their homes against potential mud and debris.

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE ? [Updated 7:24 p.m.] The foothills below the Station fire burn area were pummeled with mud and debris Saturday, severely damaging several homes and pushing dozens of parked cars across roadways. Los Angeles County officials ordered the mandatory evacuation of nearly 500 homes in La Cañada and La Crescenta Saturday afternoon as crews worked to clean up mud-clogged streets. Heavy rain early Saturday morning overwhelmed the Mullally Debris Basin in the Paradise Valley area, sending the mud and debris that caused severe damage to homes before flowing down Ocean View Boulevard and onto Foothill Boulevard.

LA CRESCENTA — Foothill residents stacked sandbags Monday, feverishly preparing against potential mudslides brought on by forecasted heavy rain this week in the Station fire burn areas. Light rain began to fall Monday afternoon, and is expected to dump up to four inches of rain by Wednesday over the fire’s affected burn areas, said Meteorologist Jamie Meier of the National Weather Service. Heavy rain was anticipated Tuesday around midnight and is expected to taper off throughout the day and evening.

LA CRESCENTA — The weekend deluge left most foothill neighborhoods unscathed from any significant mud and debris flows, officials said. No injuries, damage or significant mud and debris were reported during the storm, which dumped about 4.65 inches of rain at Mt. Wilson, according to unofficial National Weather Service rain totals. “We are relieved there were no injuries or significant debris flows, but of course it’s going to be a long winter, and we are going to see worse storms than this, so we are gearing up,” said Bob Spencer, Los Angeles County Public Works spokesman.

The potential for destructive debris flows in the Station fire burn areas remains high despite forecasts of a dry winter, public officials said this week. The warning came as the first storm of the season dropped more than 1.5 inches of rain in the Foothills through Tuesday night. "You can get drier than normal throughout the storm season, but if you get a couple of very intense back-to-back storms and still remain below normal for the season, you can have major, major mudflow problems," said Christopher Stone, asst.

LA CRESCENTA — John and Susan Pearson live blocks from the La Cañada Flintridge homes below the Mullally Debris Basin severely damaged by the February debris flows. So far, they have escaped damage at their Goss Canyon home, but they said they are concerned about what could happen in coming years. “We haven’t had that heavy of a rainfall yet,” John Pearson said. “In 2005, we got 7 inches in one day.” The Pearsons were two of more than 100 residents who filled the auditorium at Clark Magnet High School on Thursday evening to hear Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, and other officials speak on the continuing threat of debris flows in the Station fire burn area.

A light storm that brought some bursts of strong rain caused no problems and left debris basins near the Station fire burn areas untested, officials said. The storm brought a total of 0.8 inches of rainfall to the region Saturday, according to the National Weather Service’s closest official observation station at Bob Hope Airport. Unofficial rainfall totals were slightly higher in the burn areas, reaching about 1 inch in some parts of the foothills, said Jamie Meier, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

LA CRESCENTA — With weather reports forecasting up to 16 inches of rain in the foothills this week, residents didn’t waste in any time Saturday and started prepping their homes for the storms. Resident John Hanson made the trek from his Briggs Avenue neighborhood to La Cañada Flintridge’s Paradise Valley community to fill up a half-dozen sandbags, which he was going stack outside his home. He has piled sandbags along his driveway to divert water and debris during the storm.

On a recent hike in the trails of Deukmejian Wilderness Park, La Crescenta resident Mareta Kreher and her 8-year-old son Lucas noticed a variety of colorful flowers blooming along the hillsides. So when Kreher learned that restoration ecologist Melanie Keeley would be leading an educational wildflower walk on Saturday morning, her interest was piqued. “Not being native to California,” Kreher, who was born in Germany, said, while waiting for the hike to begin, “I'm kind of curious to learn all the names.” The wildflower walk was one of a variety of activities hosted throughout the day at the wilderness park for the city's Earth Day events, sponsored by the Glendale Community Services & Parks department.

GLENDALE — The Station fire burn area could get pounded with up to 6 inches of rain by Sunday, prompting flash-flood warnings and renewed fears of debris flows. The National Weather Service on Friday warned hillside residents that flash flooding and debris flows were possible through Sunday. The cold storm is expected to bring its heaviest rainfall this afternoon. Some mountain regions could also see wind gusts of up to 70 mph, while local winds will likely be closer to 35 mph, according to the weather service.

An unusually wet December got even wetter Saturday night as another winter storm showered southern California, dropping more than an inch of rain in the foothills. And it's not over yet, with the National Weather Service forecasting a 50% chance of rain Tuesday night and a 70% chance of rain on Wednesday. The most recent storm, which began about 6 p.m. Saturday, continued into the early morning hours on Sunday before it dissipated, giving way to a cool, cloudy day. Flood advisories were in effect in the Station fire burn areas, including La Crescenta, La Cañada Flintridge, Tujunga and Sunland until 3 a.m. Sunday.

GLENDALE — The hillsides above the areas burned in the Station Fire survived the weekend's latest downpour, but forecasters say a more powerful rain is still to come Tuesday. The relentless storm dumped more than eight inches of rain in most mountain and foothills, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood watch for the region and warned residents about the possibility for debris flows. Still, the rain-soaked hillsides held up during the weekend, and no major damage or debris flows were reported, Glendale Police Sgt. Tom Lorenz said.

Los Angeles County officials this week warned foothill residents to stay vigilant against possible debris flows despite forecasts of a dryer winter. Representatives from Los Angeles County public works, sheriff and fire departments addressed the Crescenta Valley Town Council Thursday night to brief residents on preparations for the coming rainy season. While weather agencies have forecast a potentially dryer “La Nina” winter rain season, officials still urged residents to lay sandbags and take other precautions to protect their homes against potential mud and debris.

LA CRESCENTA — Los Angeles County officials this week warned foothill residents to stay vigilant against possible debris flows despite forecasts of a drier winter. Representatives from Los Angeles County public works, sheriff's and fire departments addressed the Crescenta Valley Town Council on Thursday night to brief residents on preparations for the coming rainy season. While weather agencies have forecast a drier "La Niña" winter rain season, officials still urged residents to lay sandbags and take other precautions to protect their homes from mud and debris.

LA CRESCENTA — While an early-season storm Wednesday caused havoc for motorists on the roadways, local foothills that were scarred during the Station Fire went unscathed. Public Works officials said the recently-burned foothills fared well during the storm, which was expected to bring a half-inch to an inch of rain. The National Weather Service on Wednesday advised residents who live in the recent burn areas to monitor reports during the storm because those areas are susceptible to flooding and debris flows.

The potential for destructive debris flows in the Station fire burn areas remains high despite forecasts of a dry winter, public officials said this week. The warning came as the first storm of the season dropped more than 1.5 inches of rain in the Foothills through Tuesday night. "You can get drier than normal throughout the storm season, but if you get a couple of very intense back-to-back storms and still remain below normal for the season, you can have major, major mudflow problems," said Christopher Stone, asst.

Residents affected by the Station fire and subsequent winter storms could soon see some financial relief after state legislators on Tuesday passed a bill that would offer tax breaks for damaged properties. The so-called "Disaster Relief Bill" — co-authored by Assemblyman Anthony Portantino (D-La Cañada Flintridge) and Assemblyman Kevin Jeffries (R-Lake Elsinore) — would provide state property tax breaks to homeowners whose homes were damaged or destroyed in last year's natural disasters.

LA CRESCENTA — John and Susan Pearson live blocks from the La Cañada Flintridge homes below the Mullally Debris Basin severely damaged by the February debris flows. So far, they have escaped damage at their Goss Canyon home, but they said they are concerned about what could happen in coming years. “We haven’t had that heavy of a rainfall yet,” John Pearson said. “In 2005, we got 7 inches in one day.” The Pearsons were two of more than 100 residents who filled the auditorium at Clark Magnet High School on Thursday evening to hear Lucy Jones, a seismologist with the U.S. Geological Survey, and other officials speak on the continuing threat of debris flows in the Station fire burn area.