• Education
    • Higher Education
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • Online Learning
    • School Reforms
    • Research & Innovation
  • Lifestyle
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Fashion & Beauty
    • Home & Living
    • Relationships & Family
  • Technology & Startups
    • Software & Apps
    • Startup Success Stories
    • Startups & Innovations
    • Tech Regulations
    • Venture Capital
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cybersecurity
    • Emerging Technologies
    • Gadgets & Devices
    • Industry Analysis
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
Today Headline
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • World News
    • Us & Canada
    • Europe
    • Asia
    • Africa
    • Middle East
  • Politics
    • Elections
    • Political Parties
    • Government Policies
    • International Relations
    • Legislative News
  • Business & Finance
    • Market Trends
    • Stock Market
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Corporate News
    • Economic Policies
  • Science & Environment
    • Space Exploration
    • Climate Change
    • Wildlife & Conservation
    • Environmental Policies
    • Medical Research
  • Health
    • Public Health
    • Mental Health
    • Medical Breakthroughs
    • Fitness & Nutrition
    • Pandemic Updates
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Tennis
    • Olympics
    • Motorsport
  • Entertainment
    • Movies
    • Music
    • TV & Streaming
    • Celebrity News
    • Awards & Festivals
  • Crime & Justice
    • Court Cases
    • Cybercrime
    • Policing
    • Criminal Investigations
    • Legal Reforms
No Result
View All Result
Today Headline
No Result
View All Result
Home World News Us & Canada

Pacific Coast Highway reopens as region braces for rain

February 4, 2025
in Us & Canada
Reading Time: 6 mins read
A A
0
Pacific Coast Highway reopens as region braces for rain
6
SHARES
14
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Back-to-back atmospheric rivers are expected to hit Southern California this week, raising hopes of a definitive end to a catastrophic fire season, while also heightening concerns about debris flows in the region’s burn scar areas.

The first atmospheric river is set to peak in Los Angeles and Ventura counties Tuesday night and last through midday Wednesday, with the second storm forecast to hit Thursday night and last into Friday morning.

Both storms are expected to drop light-to-moderate rain, falling at a rate that should produce only minor impacts. There is a less than 5% chance of rain falling at a rate so intense that it could trigger significant mud and debris flows in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, said Todd Hall, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

Still, officials have warned residents whose neighborhoods were devastated by the Palisades and Eaton fires last month to remain on alert. Some of the heaviest rain in Los Angeles County is expected to fall during Wednesday’s early morning hours and late Thursday into Friday morning, Hall said.

“We’re gonna have to see how this evolves. The second storm could bring maybe a little higher potential [for mud and debris flows] for Eaton and Palisades, but we’re going to keep monitoring that as we move through this week,” Hall said.

Rainfall has the potential to be particularly focused on south-facing mountain slopes and hillsides, because of the path of the moisture arriving in the region, Hall said. This is a concern because a number of fire burn areas — including the Palisades and Eaton fire zones — are on south-facing slopes.

In the first storm, peak rainfall rates are anticipated to be light — between one-tenth of an inch per hour to one-quarter of an inch per hour in Los Angeles County. And in Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, peak rain rates could be moderate — between one-quarter of an inch per hour to one-half of an inch per hour, although there could be isolated locations of up to three-quarters of an inch per hour.

There is a 10% to 20% chance that rainfall rates could get up to two-thirds of an inch per hour over the 38,664-acre Lake fire, which burned last summer in the mountains southeast of Santa Maria and north of Los Olivos in Santa Barbara County. The key threshold for rainfall rates that can trigger significant debris flow is at least a half-inch per hour.

Rain totals are not yet clear for the second storm, with forecasters anticipating a range of a quarter of an inch to an inch of precipitation across the region.

In Los Angeles County, public works crews rushed to create additional capacity in debris basins to capture mud and other materials that might flow down from the burn scars during the storms.

L.A. County Public Works Director Mark Pestrella estimated that the Palisades and Eaton fires generated about 10 billion pounds of debris consisting of trash, material from homes, charred vegetation and sediment from denuded hillsides.

“We’re taking immediate steps to stop fire debris from washing on the beaches and into the storm drain system and potentially destroying homes,” he said during a Sunday news conference.

The California Office of Emergency Services set up 679 feet of K-rail concrete barriers and 1,500 sandbags along Cloudcroft Drive in Malibu and similar efforts were underway at other locations within the Palisades and Eaton burn areas. Officials have also installed compost filter socks, a type of berm, and other items around burned homes to filter debris and prevent it from flowing into storm drains, Pestrella said.

Meteorologists are hopeful that the ongoing storms will help bring a decisive end to one of Southern California’s most destructive fire seasons. Generally, the region needs 2 to 4 inches of widespread rainfall for the fire season to end. Downtown Los Angeles has received just over half of an inch of rain since January, according to the weather service.

The persistent lack of rain has dried out vegetation to the point where it’s extremely flammable.

“We’re hopeful that after these two storms that might be enough” to end the fire season, Hall said. “But we’re still seeing that … the fuel still could be susceptible, because it takes awhile for the rainfall to soak in the soil and get into the native vegetation.”

It can typically take three to six weeks for vegetation like chaparral and coastal sage to soak up moisture from rainfall, Hall said.

Meteorologist Alex Tardy of the weather service’s San Diego office said data indicate that vegetation has absorbed plenty of moisture from the rain the region has received so far.

“So we’re up around average right now,” Tardy said. “We were flirting with record lows when … we had our Santa Ana wind and red flag warning.”

“As long as it stays cool, and we don’t have additional Santa Ana winds and get a little bit of precipitation like we’re going to see this week — that buys us time in February,” Tardy said. “A little bit of rain and snow goes a long way in the middle of the winter.”

But another moderate Santa Ana wind event could be on the horizon over the weekend. And despite the recent rain, much of Southern California is still dry, having received less than 25% of average rainfall at this point in the season.

Meanwhile, Pacific Coast Highway opened for the first time in weeks early Monday as Pacific Palisades residents continued to grapple with officials over the possibility of lifting restrictions on access to fire-ravaged neighborhoods.

PCH, which had been swept by flames and beset by debris flows, was opened between the McClure Tunnel in Santa Monica and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu. However, just one lane in each direction was opened, with a speed limit of 25 mph. There is no parking along the highway as repair work in the area continues, officials said.

The scenic stretch of highway had been closed since Jan. 7, when firefighters first began battling the Palisades fire. Ultimately, 23,400 acres burned and 6,800 structures — many of them homes — were destroyed. Parts of the highway reopened in Malibu on Sunday, but plans to remove all checkpoints for access to the Palisades were delayed.

The reopening of the Palisades and subsequent reversal over the weekend were marred by a striking lack of government coordination, both within the city of Los Angeles and between the city and the county.

Bass first told residents during a webinar Friday afternoon that she planned to reopen the neighborhood to the public. The announcement incited rage among those tuning in and brought a sharp critique from Councilmember Traci Park, who said publicly that she disagreed with the move.

City recovery czar Steve Soboroff, who was appointed by Bass, was also unaware of the mayor’s decision to reopen the neighborhood to the public until a reporter informed him of the news shortly after the community meeting ended. Soboroff said he thought the move was premature.

Pacific Palisades residents have voiced concerns about members of the general public having access to the fire zone, citing issues including toxic pollution, public safety and crime.

Nearly 5,000 people signed a change.org petition after the Friday meeting to urge officials to maintain restricted access for devastated neighborhoods, saying that reopening too early would offer “no tangible benefit to residents and would only place an unnecessary burden on a community that has not even begun to recover.”

When Bass reversed her decision Saturday night — hours before the neighborhood was set to reopen to the public — her office did not inform County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who also represents the area. The city’s reversal also delayed the reopening of a swath of Pacific Coast Highway by a day, sowing more confusion since the county still proceeded with its plan to reopen other sections of the highway.

Access to Palisades neighborhoods remains restricted to residents and authorized contractors who have passes, Bass’ office said Monday. Residents and contractors can obtain passes at the parking structure of the Disaster Recovery Center at 10850 Pico Blvd. in Westwood. Passes are available daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Horvath released a statement late Saturday calling the city’s decision a “surprise.” When reached by The Times on Sunday, a public information officer for the Los Angeles Fire Department, a city agency, said she learned about Bass’ reversal through a press release.

The California Highway Patrol and National Guard have taken over controlling access to the Palisades, according to the mayor’s office.

“We continue to adapt in real time to this dynamic situation,” read a prepared statement issued by the mayor’s office Saturday. “This plan secures the Palisades and eases the strain on LAPD, whose ability to respond across L.A. has been impacted for nearly one month. My priority continues to be rebuilding the Palisades as rapidly and safely as possible.”

The confusion over reopening Pacific Coast Highway caused some tension on the Westside of Los Angeles.

Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart urged the city of Los Angeles in a statement on Sunday to “work collaboratively with all affected jurisdictions in the future to ensure clarity, consistency, and thoughtful communication.”

“Our communities have a hard enough road ahead — these moments require coordination and leadership, not confusion.”

Times staff writers Sonja Sharp, Clara Harter and Dakota Smith contributed to this report.



Source link

Tags: accessarea braceauthorized contractorbracesCoastconfusiondebris flowHighwaylos angeles timesofficialPacificpacific coast highwayPacific PalisadesPalisades Firepassrainregionreopensresidentstorm
Previous Post

Trump’s tariffs on Mexico and Canada are delayed — but not yet dead

Next Post

Adverse childhood experiences in firstborns associated with poor mental health of siblings

Related Posts

Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

May 25, 2025
5
Escaped inmate recaptured as search for New Orleans inmates ramps up

Escaped inmate recaptured as search for New Orleans inmates ramps up

May 24, 2025
3
Next Post
sibling

Adverse childhood experiences in firstborns associated with poor mental health of siblings

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

Family calls for change after B.C. nurse dies by suicide after attacks on the job

April 2, 2025
Pioneering 3D printing project shares successes

Product reduces TPH levels to non-hazardous status

November 27, 2024

Hospital Mergers Fail to Deliver Better Care or Lower Costs, Study Finds todayheadline

December 31, 2024

Police ID man who died after Corso Italia fight

December 23, 2024
Harris tells supporters 'never give up' and urges peaceful transfer of power

Harris tells supporters ‘never give up’ and urges peaceful transfer of power

0
Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend's Mother

Des Moines Man Accused Of Shooting Ex-Girlfriend’s Mother

0

Trump ‘looks forward’ to White House meeting with Biden

0
Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

Catholic voters were critical to Donald Trump’s blowout victory: ‘Harris snubbed us’

0

TD's SWOT analysis: canadian bank stock faces challenges, opportunities todayheadline

May 25, 2025
1

Finance Ministry OKs 8.25% EPF interest rate todayheadline

May 25, 2025
Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

May 25, 2025

Jon Stewart: Trump will ‘burn’ country down for ‘insurance money’

May 25, 2025

Recent News

TD's SWOT analysis: canadian bank stock faces challenges, opportunities todayheadline

May 25, 2025
3
1

Finance Ministry OKs 8.25% EPF interest rate todayheadline

May 25, 2025
5
Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

Teen arrested in fatal flare gun shooting in Huntington Beach

May 25, 2025
5

Jon Stewart: Trump will ‘burn’ country down for ‘insurance money’

May 25, 2025
4

TodayHeadline is a dynamic news website dedicated to delivering up-to-date and comprehensive news coverage from around the globe.

Follow Us

Browse by Category

  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Basketball
  • Business & Finance
  • Climate Change
  • Crime & Justice
  • Cybersecurity
  • Economic Policies
  • Elections
  • Entertainment
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Environmental Policies
  • Europe
  • Football
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Health
  • Medical Research
  • Mental Health
  • Middle East
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Politics
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Science & Environment
  • Software & Apps
  • Space Exploration
  • Sports
  • Stock Market
  • Technology & Startups
  • Tennis
  • Travel
  • Uncategorized
  • Us & Canada
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • World News

Recent News

TD's SWOT analysis: canadian bank stock faces challenges, opportunities todayheadline

May 25, 2025
1

Finance Ministry OKs 8.25% EPF interest rate todayheadline

May 25, 2025
  • Education
  • Lifestyle
  • Technology & Startups
  • About us
  • Contact
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 Todayheadline.co

Welcome Back!

OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Business & Finance
  • Corporate News
  • Economic Policies
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Market Trends
  • Crime & Justice
  • Court Cases
  • Criminal Investigations
  • Cybercrime
  • Legal Reforms
  • Policing
  • Education
  • Higher Education
  • Online Learning
  • Entertainment
  • Awards & Festivals
  • Celebrity News
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Health
  • Fitness & Nutrition
  • Medical Breakthroughs
  • Mental Health
  • Pandemic Updates
  • Lifestyle
  • Fashion & Beauty
  • Food & Drink
  • Home & Living
  • Politics
  • Elections
  • Government Policies
  • International Relations
  • Legislative News
  • Political Parties
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Europe
  • Middle East
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Cybersecurity
  • Emerging Technologies
  • Gadgets & Devices
  • Industry Analysis
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Motorsport
  • Olympics
  • Climate Change
  • Environmental Policies
  • Medical Research
  • Science & Environment
  • Space Exploration
  • Wildlife & Conservation
  • Sports
  • Tennis
  • Technology & Startups
  • Software & Apps
  • Startup Success Stories
  • Startups & Innovations
  • Tech Regulations
  • Venture Capital
  • Uncategorized
  • World News
  • Us & Canada
  • Public Health
  • Relationships & Family
  • Travel
  • Research & Innovation
  • Scholarships & Grants
  • School Reforms
  • Stock Market
  • TV & Streaming
  • Advertise with Us
  • Privacy & Policy
  • About us
  • Contact

© 2024 Todayheadline.co