Black Rain after the fires of Los Angeles: the rain falls finally, but it is swollen with toxic ashes

Southern California breathes a sigh of relief: after weeks of dry and windy time, Finally the rain has arrived To give respite to the firefighters committed to tame the numerous forest fires that devastated the region. But the rainfall, although beneficial, bring with them a new danger: the outflow of toxic ashes from the burned areas.

The authorities of the county of Los Angeles worked tirelessly to prepare for the arrival of the rain, removing the vegetation, strengthening the slopes and roads in the areas affected by the fires of Palisades and Eaton, who They destroyed whole neighborhoods on January 7threducing them to rubble and ash.

Most of the region will receive about 2.5 centimeters of rain in the next few days, with possible localized storms that could cause landslides and flows of debris.

The main problem is the intense downpours that could focus on a burnt area – explains the meteorologist Carol Smith. This would be enough to trigger flows of debris.

Smith stressed that The soil, deprived of vegetation and made water repellent by the heat of the fires, is particularly vulnerable to landslides.

Precipitation, which began on Saturday evening, should intensify on Sunday and last until Tuesday morning. Flooding warnings for some areas have been issued, while snow is expected on the mountains.

The mayor of Los Angeles Karen Bass has issued an executive order to accelerate the remediation efforts and mitigate the environmental impact of pollutants, while the county supervisors have approved emergency measures to install flood control infrastructures and remove sediments from the areas hit. “The situation is critical,” said Mayor Bass. “We have to do everything possible to protect our citizens and the environment.”

The Fire Brigade teams they are at work to fill bags of sand To be distributed to the communities, while the County workers install barriers and clean tubes and drainage basins. Residents of the risk areas have been invited to prepare for the event of evacuations.

But what is the danger represented by the ashes? The authorities warn that the ashes present in the burned areas are a toxic mix cars, electronic equipment, batteries, building materials, paints, furniture and other incinerated objects. These ashes contain pesticides, asbestos, plastic and lead, and can represent a serious risk for human health and the environment. Residents were invited to wear protective clothing during cleaning operations and avoid contact with rainwater which could be contaminated.

The fear of debrical flows is particularly high after the 2018 disaster in Montecito, when landslides caused by a downpour devastated the coastal city, causing 23 victims and damage to hundreds of homes.

Despite the risk of outdoor outflow, the rain still represents a fundamental help for the firefighters who fight the fires, including those of Palisades and Eatonwhich caused the death of at least 28 people and destroyed over 14,000 buildings. On January 26, The containment of Palisades’ fire reached 81% and that of Eaton was low at 95%.

The rain also interrupts a long series of dry time that hit southern California. Most of the region received less than 5% of the average rainfall for this period of the year, and according to the US Draught Monitor, Most of southern California are in a situation of “extreme drought” or “severe drought”.