Wildfires continue to burn in Southern California, with experts warning of severe hazards in the aftermath, particularly due to urban burn zones. Landslides, environmental contamination, and long-term cleanup challenges are among the concerns.
Wildfires continue to ravage Southern California, with the looming threat of another Santa Ana wind event this week exacerbating the situation. While the end to the fire danger remains uncertain, experts warn that the aftermath will pose severe hazards, particularly due to the urban nature of many burn zones. \The fires impacting Los Angeles and Ventura counties are occurring on the urban-wildland interface, where wild landscapes meet urban dwellings.
Professor Costas Synolakis, a civil engineering expert at the University of Southern California, explains that areas further from wildlands have a lower risk of ignition, highlighting how strong winds facilitated rapid house-to-house spread. However, these wildfires are exceptionally intense, penetrating deeper into urban areas, according to Scott Stephens, a fire science professor at the University of California, Berkeley. \Once the fires subside, landslides triggered by burn scars will become a major concern as rainfall returns to Southern California. These post-fire debris flows pose a significant threat because they can occur with little warning. The USGS notes that landslides can exert substantial forces on objects in their path, strip vegetation, obstruct drainage systems, damage structures, and endanger lives. Moreover, wildfires can destabilize pre-existing, deep-seated landslides over extended periods, potentially leading to flows accompanied by root decay and soil weakening. \California already experiences a high frequency of landslides, but the current conditions are so extreme that experts express heightened concern regarding the increased risk. Edith de Guzman, a water equity and adaptation policy specialist at the University of California, Los Angeles, emphasizes this point. Stephens adds that the wildfires are incinerating shrub cover, leaving bare mineral ground susceptible to rapid runoff when rain arrives. \Los Angeles has implemented debris basins in Mount Wilson and near Eaton Canyon to capture some of the material sliding down the mountainsides and mitigate landslide hazards. The Pacific Palisades neighborhood, situated in the lower slopes of the Santa Monica mountain range, is particularly vulnerable due to its steep valley walls. Synolakis warns that this area will require close monitoring for landslides. Even homes that survived the wildfire in the Palisades could face severe danger from rainstorms undermining their foundations. Stephens points out that homes near creeks and steep hills are likely to contribute significantly to landslide debris. \Beyond the immediate threat of landslides, experts highlight the long-term environmental impacts of the fires. Safford, a research fire ecologist at the University of California, Davis, anticipates that cleanup crews in hazmat suits will soon be prevalent in the affected communities. The burning of homes and cars releases toxins into the air and soil, contaminating local waterways and ecosystems. Many homes built before the 1980s likely contain asbestos, further compounding the issue. \Synolakis notes that debris from scorched homes near Malibu's Big Rock will likely reach the ocean through wind and water currents. In Altadena, destroyed homes near the San Gabriel Valley Groundwater Basin could pollute the water system. De Guzman states that researchers are already monitoring soil for heavy metals and other toxins that have seeped in during the combustion process. \Synolakis warns that these toxins will eventually reach the ocean through the watershed. The full extent of the environmental damage caused by these large-scale wildfires remains to be seen. Safford emphasizes that the cleanup process will be lengthy and challenging. \As of Monday afternoon, winds are picking up in the mountains and higher elevations, gusting between 20 and 30 mph, with locally higher gusts of 50 mph. Forecasts indicate little rain relief for the Los Angeles area in the near future, although there's a 20% chance of a light sprinkle on Saturday, closer to San Diego
WILDFIRES SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SANTA ANA WINDS LANDSLIDES ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION HAZARDS URBAN BURN ZONES
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Southern California Wildfires Leave Thousands DevastatedThe devastating wildfires continue to spread through Southern California, leaving thousands of people displaced and heartbroken. The news text details the stories of individuals who have lost their homes and possessions, highlighting the immense impact of the disaster.
Read more »
Southern California Wildfires Leave Parents Struggling to Explain Devastation to ChildrenAs wildfires continue to rage through Southern California, leaving behind destruction and displacement, many parents are grappling with how to explain the tragedy to their children. This story focuses on a mother from Pacific Palisades whose home was destroyed by the fire and her efforts to find solace and meaning in the face of loss.
Read more »
California Wildfires Ravage Southern CaliforniaA series of wildfires fueled by strong Santa Ana winds are wreaking havoc across Southern California, forcing mass evacuations and resulting in tragic loss of life.
Read more »
California Wildfires Ravage Southern CaliforniaThe California wildfires continue to rage, causing widespread devastation and forcing evacuations. The Eaton Fire has exploded to over 10,600 acres, while other fires burn across the region. The blazes have also impacted Hollywood's awards season, with events being delayed or canceled.
Read more »
California Wildfires Devastate Southern California, Claiming Lives and HomesMultiple wildfires fueled by strong winds and dry conditions continue to rage across Southern California, causing widespread damage and loss of life. The Palisades Fire, the largest of the blazes, is burning near Los Angeles, forcing evacuations and threatening communities. Other fires, including the Eaton Fire and the Hurst Fire, have also caused destruction. The fires have claimed at least 11 lives, and thousands of people have been displaced. Firefighters are battling the blazes, aided by federal and state resources. Donations are pouring in to support those affected by the fires.
Read more »
Southern California wildfires show just how destructive the ‘California Way’ can beOnly when competence and reasonableness rule the day in policymaking will anything change.
Read more »