LOS ANGELES, CA – Evacuation orders and warnings were issued Thursday morning for areas recently burned by wildfires as the strongest winter storm of the season brings heavy rain across Southern California. Officials are urging residents in high-risk zones to prepare for potential mudslides and debris flows.
Authorities issued evacuation orders for specific addresses and broader warnings for multiple neighborhoods, citing the heightened risk of flooding and landslides in areas scarred by the Palisades and Eaton fires. The orders will remain in effect from 7 a.m. Thursday through 2 p.m. Friday, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“These areas are recently burned and especially susceptible to heavy rain,” the department said in a statement.
Evacuation warnings were issued for:
- Palisades Fire area: Getty Villa area, Highlands near burn zones, Bienveneda area near Temescal Canyon Park, Reseda Boulevard/Marinette Road near Will Rogers State Park, and Mandeville Canyon above Tanners Road.
- Sunset Fire area: East and south of Runyon Canyon.
- Hurst Fire area: Olive Lane in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park.
- Eaton Fire area: Parts of Altadena near the San Gabriel foothills.
Los Angeles police officers are conducting door-to-door notifications in high-risk zones, issuing evacuation orders where conditions are particularly dangerous. Officials are warning that debris flows could block roads, making it difficult for emergency crews to reach residents who choose to stay behind.
“If you decide to stay in your property in an evacuated area, debris from the burn scar and storm may impede roads, and we may not be able to reach you,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. “That is not a good scenario or situation for anybody involved.”
The storm has already prompted emergency preparations across Los Angeles County, with thousands of K-Rails and sandbags installed near vulnerable hillsides. The National Weather Service warned of a “high risk of flooding and burn scar debris flows” as rainfall totals are expected to range from 1.5 to 3 inches across the region.
Forecasters predict the heaviest rainfall will occur between 6 a.m. Thursday and noon Friday, with rates between 0.5 and 1 inch per hour in some areas. Lighter showers are expected through Friday before drier conditions return over the weekend.
Residents can find additional information, including maps of affected areas, on the Los Angeles County Public Works website.
