Adam VanGerpen, a Los Angeles Fire Department captain, said future landslides in the burn scars from the recent fires are going to be a major concern once the rainy season kicks into gear.
“The houses that are in the burn scar after a fire event are the most prone, most susceptible to there being a mudslide or debris flow around them,” VanGerpen said.
California typically gets around 90% of its annual precipitation from October to April. However, Southern California has remained exceptionally dry so far during what should be the wet season, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor — the driest start in 44 years.
Once rain does come, VanGerpen said, “We’re going to have to be vigilant. We’re going to have to tell homeowners to remain alert. And we’re going to have to have the geologists come out and do soil samples and studies and make sure that it’s stable.”
The department doesn’t expect to see many more landslides in the immediate future, he added.
“This looks like there is a lot of water that’s running down through this particular spot,” he said, referring to the location of Edwards’ house.
Vahedifard recommended that the LAFD’s strategy include surveying the land to find the areas most susceptible to landslides, using vegetation and slope maps as a starting point.
He also emphasized that any rebuilding plans should take the risk of both future wildfires and landslides into account.
“If we are building in wildfire-prone areas, if we are building on steep slopes or nearest to the slopes, we have to make sure that our foundation is strong enough to carry that load,” he said. “We have to make sure we are applying some stabilizing measures to keep this load stable against landslides.”
Despite his circumstances, Edwards remained upbeat on Thursday. He is currently staying at an Airbnb in Venice.
“I mean, we’re lucky to be out, you know?” he said. “We’re lucky to be safe, and my wife’s safe, my daughter’s safe, and my dogs are safe. That’s the biggest thing.”
