Mudslide Risk Remains in Southern California’s Fire-Ravaged Areas

Wildfires destroy root systems, destabilizing the soil and making it susceptible to mudflows.

A utility truck is parked in front of a house unscathed by the Palisades Fire but later split in half by a landslide in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Jan. 16. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

After a home that survived the Los Angeles fires was destroyed by a mudslide this week, forecasters don’t expect significant rain anytime soon for the region, decreasing the risk of landslides in burn-scarred areas.

Wildfires destroy root systems in burn areas, destabilizing the soil and making it susceptible to mudflows. After a wildfire, landslide concerns rise when the first heavy rains hit vulnerable areas.