California emergency workers are battling a new and potentially deadly threat: mudslides

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🗞️ Driving the news: Emergency workers in California are confronting a new threat: potentially deadly mudslides
• Recent rains, while aiding in combating wildfires, have increased the risk of mud and debris flows in areas like the Eaton and Palisades fire zones
• Even minimal rainfall can trigger significant slides on these steep, denuded slopes

🔭 The context: Wildfires have left hillsides barren, creating conditions where water fails to absorb into the scorched, glasslike soils, leading to increased runoff
• Efforts to mitigate these risks involve clearing runoff basins and constructing channels to divert water
• Detailed surveys are being conducted to map burn severity and predict mudslide risks

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: Mudslides can cause significant environmental damage, including the destruction of habitats and contamination of waterways with debris and pollutants
• The increased frequency of wildfires, exacerbated by climate change, heightens the risk of such events, leading to a cycle of environmental degradation

⏭️ What's next: Communities, particularly in Altadena and around the Pacific Coast Highway, are preparing for potential impacts
• State resources are focused on preventing toxic runoff from burned areas
• Residents are on alert for incoming weather, facing the uncertainty of the rains' effect on already damaged lands

💬 One quote: "Even minimal rainfall can trigger significant slides on these steep, denuded slopes"

📈 One stat: There is a 20% chance of significant debris flows in areas affected by the Eaton and Palisades fires

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