L.A. officials issue evacuation warnings for wildfire-affected areas ahead of heavy rain

The Los Angeles Fire Department issued evacuation warnings on Tuesday for residents living in the areas of the city savaged by recent wildfires ahead of heavy rain and mudslides expected later this week.

The warnings were issued for areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton fires, which collectively burned through roughly 40,000 acres of land and scorched more than 15,000 buildings in January, according to an interactive map issued by the LAFD.

Officials said that two upcoming storms in Southern California make those areas “especially susceptible to heavy rain” and “high mudslide and debris flow risk.” Some areas affected by the Palisades Fire are of particular concern for mudslides, according to LAFD’s map.

“Those living near recent brush fires should be aware of the extreme danger possible from debris flows,” a spokesperson for the LAFD said in a statement. “When rainstorms impact the Los Angeles area, storm drains, canyons, arroyos and other sloped or low-lying areas can quickly fill with fast-moving water and debris, creating a life-threatening danger.”

Sierra Madre Fire Chief Brent Bartlett, whose department battled the Eaton Fire, told NBC Los Angeles that “if a mudflow occurs, public safety and public works personnel will not be able to enter an active debris flow zone.”

“This means that if you stay behind, you may be trapped for days before emergency crews can reach you,” Barlett added.

The LAFD urged residents in the affected areas to sign up for emergency alerts, listen to the local media and to create an emergency household plan to designate “what each person will do in the event of a flood, mudslide or serious storm damage.”

The department also encouraged residents to restock food, water, medication, flashlight, battery-powered radio, rain gear, first aid and sanitation supplies.

The warnings will remain in place until Thursday evening.

The city’s Palisades and Eaton fires, fed by the Santa Ana winds that had hurricane-force speeds, killed at least 29 people. The fires were both declared fully contained on Jan. 31, more than three weeks after they began.