RAIN PUTS MALIBU IN ALERT MODE : FIRE ZONE MUDSLIDES FEARED.Byline: Mary Beth Alexander and Eric Wahlgren Daily News Staff Writers After spending a week under siege of a raging wildfire, Malibu residents began bracing bracing, n a resistance to the horizontal components of masticatory force. Tuesday for another potential danger: mudslides. A storm that brought heavy rain to Santa Barbara Santa Barbara (săn'tə bär`brə, –bərə), city (1990 pop. 85,571), seat of Santa Barbara co., S Calif., on the Pacific Ocean; inc. 1850. and Ventura in the afternoon hit Malibu around 9 p.m., dropping more than an inch of rain in some areas within the first few hours. City and county officials were on alert, worried the moisture would loosen the earth left barren by last week's brush fire. Mudslides and falling boulders forced the closure of Malibu Canyon Road about 11:30 p.m. Tuesday. ``When you have brush, it takes the water and it holds the hill together,'' said Henry Rodriguez, a Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County fire inspector. ``When you take the brush off the ground, the ground can only hold so much water.'' To prepare for the arrival of the storm - the first substantial rain in about five months - residents began in the morning stocking up on burlap sacks and sand, as dark clouds dark cloud See absorption nebula. gathered overhead. Los Angeles County fire officials said up to 10,000 bags had been ordered for Malibu's four fire stations, to help residents protect their homes. ``The bags, we have some en route and some at the stations,'' said Capt. Gary Aalberts of Station 70 at Pacific Coast Highway Pacific Coast Highway may refer to:
Aalberts said more than a dozen people had dropped by the station during the day to pick up the bags. Forecasters predicted three-quarters of an inch of rain might fall on fire-ravaged canyons Tuesday night, creating the potential for slides because the blaze had burned natural barriers such as brush and shrubs. The storm system from the north dumped more than 2 inches of rain in the mountains of Santa Barbara County, and caused steady showers in Ventura County and the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. . Although the brunt brunt n. 1. The main impact or force, as of an attack. 2. The main burden: bore the brunt of the household chores. of the storm was expected to pass through during the night, forecasters predicted partly cloudy Partly Cloudy is an industrial band based in Hollywood, California. Band members
Malibu officials said Tuesday afternoon that the city was taking necessary precautions, especially in areas hit hard by the fire including Malibu, Latigo and Corral corral a small fenced-in enclosure with high, wooden fences, suitable for holding cattle or horses. corral system a management system in which range cattle are put into corrals and fed hay for a period when the environment is most canyons. ``We are not overly concerned,'' said Sarah Maurice, a city spokeswoman. ``We feel the earth can soak up the rain. But if we get an intense downpour, we are going to be in big trouble.'' Workers have been leveling dirt piles created by crews fighting the fire, and building small trenches to direct water and mud away from homes, said Capt. Steve Valenzuela, county Fire Department spokesman. Also, he said, paths that were cut to contain the blaze are being covered back up with the brush that was cleared away. ``So, when the water comes down on the fire lines, it will first come in contact with the brush . . . before hitting the dirt,'' Valenzuela said. |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion