California
California faces severe flood threat from “most potent” in barrage of atmospheric rivers
A sunken part of a parking zone after a rain storm at Seacliff State Seashore in Aptos, California, on Sunday. Picture: Nic Coury/Bloomberg through Getty Pictures
California Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking President Biden to make an emergency declaration in response to a sequence of lethal storms, because the Nationwide Climate Service warned the “most potent system” would arrive Monday.
The large image: The newest in a barrage of harmful atmospheric rivers that’ve triggered widespread energy outages since late final month started unleashing extra highly effective winds and heavy rains on California Sunday night time — prompting Sacramento County to difficulty evacuation orders for Wilton-area residents, with flooding “imminent.”
State of play: Greater than 424,000 Californians had been with out energy, over 2,900 others had been evacuated from their houses and 12 individuals had been confirmed killed within the storms, mentioned Nancy Ward, director of the governor’s Workplace of Emergency Companies at a briefing Sunday.
- An estimated 99,000-plus prospects had been nonetheless with out energy on Sunday night time, because the Workplace of Emergency Administration issued evacuation warnings for a number of areas in Santa Barbara County “as a result of potential flooding and particles flows.”
Menace degree: The atmospheric river arriving Sunday night time “will trigger important impression to journey” and infrastructure as a result of heavy rain, heavy mountain snow and damaging wind gusts by way of Tuesday,” per the NWS. Street closures, tree harm and river flooding had been anticipated.
- “On this climate sample, extra rain on saturated soils will result in appreciable flood impacts, together with speedy water rises, mudslides and burn scar particles flows,” the NWS mentioned in an replace Sunday night.
- “Widespread mountain snow and excessive winds can even produce points throughout the state,” it mentioned.
- “Heavy rain is anticipated so as to add as much as a number of inches throughout a lot of central California by way of Tuesday. The cumulative impact of successive heavy rainfall occasions will result in extra situations of flooding. This contains speedy water rises, mudslides, and the potential for main river flooding.”
Zoom in: There is a average threat of extreme rainfall in most of central California on Monday, extending southward in direction of the Transverse Ranges of southern California, per the NWS.
- “As moisture continues to sink southward on Monday night time and one other push of rainfall enters on Tuesday, flash flooding is growing probably over the southern California coastal ranges by way of early this week,” the climate service mentioned.
- “Prone terrain and areas close to current burn scars can be most in danger for particles flows and speedy runoff.”
In the meantime, for the upper terrain of the Sierra Nevada, extraordinarily” heavy snow and intense snowfall charges” was anticipated to “make journey very harmful to unimaginable at occasions,” with complete snowfall quantities anticipated higher than 6 ft potential above 7,000 ft, based on the NWS.
- “This quantity of extra accumulating snow on high of an already effectively constructed snowpack is more likely to enhance the specter of avalanches and pressure infrastructure,” the climate service mentioned.
- “The mixture of saturated soil and gusty winds may exacerbate the tree harm risk.”
Flashback: Newsom declared an emergency final week in response to an atmospheric river storm related to a bomb cyclone that introduced heavy rains and hurricane-force winds to California.
Between the strains: Atmospheric rivers are potent however slim currents within the air that may carry huge quantities of water vapor 1000’s of miles from the tropics to mid-and-northern latitudes.
Editor’s observe: This can be a breaking information story. Please verify again for updates.
California
California wildfires live updates: Firefighters battle to contain blazes while thousands wait to return home
As winds die down in Southern California, firefighters have been able to get some of the most devastating wildfires under control. But as residents are allowed to return to the areas, the challenges of recovery are becoming painfully clear. Former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate joins Stephanie Ruhle to discuss.
A handful of dirt bikes and an ATV joined a pair of riders being chased by the California Highway Patrol Thursday afternoon.
The pursuit started in East Los Angeles when officers spotted two dirt bikers riding along the roads. It continued through a handful of freeways as officers on the ground dropped back to allow a police helicopter to track them.
The original riders continued to weave through traffic until more dirt bikers and a few ATVs joined them on their drive around LA County.
A move to protect a federally endangered plant by halting the state construction of new utility lines is being highlighted in a newspaper report as a potential factor in California’s Palisades fire.
Downed utility lines in the area are being investigated for fuelling, and potentially even causing, the immense Palisades fire, says The New York Times.
However, the California Coastal Commission, who intervened in the utility line construction, have said that they did give out new permits for the utility pole project and “are very supportive of wildfire resiliency work.”
Why It Matters
The cause of the Pacific Palisades fire is under investigation by the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and if government negligence was found to play a part, it would further fuel existing frustration with Mayor Bass, and Governor Newsom expressed by some California residents.
LA is also facing a climate-change-shaped future of increased droughts which will further impact the scope of wildfires, and needs to figure out how to balance everyday conservation with fire protection for the entire region.
Left: Michael Charters, Right: Carolyn Kaster/Left: US Forest Service, Right: Associated Press
What To Know
In 2020, the California Coastal Commission fined the Los Angeles Department of Public Works (LADWP) $1.9 million over their utility pole project in the Pacific Palisades, as the project had bulldozed almost 200 federally protected Braunton’s milkvetch (Astragalus brauntonii) plants.
According to the Sierra Club, there are only 3,000 of these “purple-petalled perennial wildflower” plants left in the mountains, and they are listed under the Endangered Species Act.
The utility pole project policed by the Coastal Commission in 2020 was a public works project designed to install stronger, metal, utility poles in the Palisades, as some of the utility poles in the area were built almost 100 years ago. Downed utility lines have caused blazes in the past, and reporters from The New York Times have now found bits of power line debris in the Palisade hills.
The Coastal Commission told the LADWP in 2020 that they needed to seek a permit from the Coastal Commission to restart the development, as well as undo their roadwork and revegetate the area. While the LADWP paid the fine, it does not appear they ever restarted the utility poles project.
The LADWP has been contacted via phone call and voicemail for comment.
Sarah Christie, a spokesperson for the Coastal Commission, spoke to Newsweek about this incident saying: “In 2019, a hiker reported unpermitted bulldozing through an area of endangered plants and hiking trails in Topanga State Park.
“In addition to damaging native plants and public trails, this type of grading also can also encourage highly flammable, non-native grasses to flourish. But the damage was repaired the following year, and the Commission approved a permit for the Utility to move forward with their work to replace the poles.
“We are very supportive of wildfire resiliency work and will continue to promote efforts to harden homes and public infrastructure and create defensible space.”
What People Are Saying
Eric Edmunds, Chair of the Santa Monica Mountains Task Force in a 2020 letter: “Our task force has been involved with far too many cases of utility companies not using good judgment and failing to comply with the laws, policies, and ordinances that are in place to protect and preserve our finite natural resources.”
The LADWP in 2020: “[This project is] essential in regards to our wildfire mitigation plan.”
What Happens Next
The cause of the Palisades fire is still under investigation by the ATF, who have said it will take time to figure out the root cause of the blaze.
In the meantime, Angelenos are still combating active blazes, with the Eaton fire now at 55 percent containment, and the Palisades fire at 22 percent containment.
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