Heavy rain comes with concern for residents living near burn scars
Southern California residents living near the burn scars of past wild fires face additional concerns in the months following the initial event, due to the propensity for mudslides and debris flow during rainy weather.
With Monday's sudden onset of heavy rain, those living in Monrovia faced some of those same concerns, near where the Bobcat Fire burned in late 2020 from September to December.
Luckily, the first round of rain which hit in the early morning proved to be uneventful, as it had all but dried up in the afternoon. But, a second storm front set to move through the area still has people worried, especially since the burn scar area is already wet.
Monrovia was in "Phase 1" alert level Monday, meaning they were prepared for a moderate amount of rain with hope that no major issues were incoming.
This is a noted difference from Dec. 2021, when the city was in "Phase 2" when they experienced mudflow during the wettest winter storm of the year, which brought down an entire hillside.
Locals were happy that the rain was able to soak their city, in moderation, especially with the ever-looming drought in California.
"I woke up to it and it kind of startled me," said Kyle Wolfe. "When I came out I saw the bins had hit the back of my car. I didn't expect it."
Footage from Monrovia streets Monday morning showed a steady flow of water in the gutters, washing around car tires and knocking some trash cans over, but that was the extent of the "damage" done.
City officials closed the road to Monrovia Canyon Park in preparation.
"We're monitoring to see how the rain does, and make sure no mud and debris is getting on the streets," said Alex Tachiki, the Deputy Director of Public Works in Monrovia.
They had also installed a series of K-rails in the surrounding area, specifically in front of homes in the area, in order to protect them in the event of a debris flow or mudslide.
Additionally, work crews had even cleared out a catch-basin in the area for a storm like Monday's, at the base of the steep hills in the area.
"You can see how they had to dig out this soft pit for flood control," said Bob Dollins, who volunteers his free time to clean up the hiking trails in the area. "These mountains, you see how steep they are. They burned pretty much; there's nothing holding it up."
Sandbags and additional resources were available to residents at their local fire departments.
Though Monday morning's downpour proved to be uneventful, they were still apprehensive as the storm was expected to last into the early morning hours of Tuesday.
