2025 Wildfire Season: Rainfall on Wildfires in and around Los Angeles County (Jan 26-27)

Direct link to January 26th video from KCAL News on YouTube

I know from following some media outlets as well as checking the National Weather Service Forecast Office Los Angeles that there was light to moderate rainfall over Los Angeles County including the areas burned by the recent wildfires for the last 48 hours.. I know enough to know that this rainfall has helped firefighters as the work to contain wildfires in and around Los Angeles County. If you go this Facebook post from the NWS Forecast Office in Los Angeles (close the page asking you to log on to Facebook to see the post) where I hope you will see a link for their latest rainfall summary. I am not intimately familiar with the geography of this area but I hope that you will see that light to moderate rainfall was fairly widespread. I also know enough to know that with rainfall comes the risk of flooding and in areas burned by wildfires, risks of debris flows that can further impact any structures still standing as well as impacting roads and bridges. 

I saw a nice article earlier this morning from the New York Times by Tim Balk published on January 26th and updated on January 27th the recent rain over the fire areas and the risk of mudslides, you may go here, please note that I can give you 10 days of free access ending on or about February 6th.

Some of you might be interested in reading more about debris flows, shared by the NWS Forecast Office in Los Angeles has some good information from the USGS, For example, on the link titled "what is a debris flow you will find this useful definition from the USGS on what a debris flow including the increased risk to areas burned by wildfires.

Debris flows are fast-moving landslides that are particularly dangerous to life and property because they move quickly, destroy objects in their paths, and often strike without warning. They occur in a wide variety of environments throughout the world, including all 50 states and U.S. Territories. Debris flows generally occur during periods of intense rainfall or rapid snowmelt and usually start on hillsides or mountains. Debris flows can travel at speeds up to and exceeding 35 mph and can carry large items such as boulders, trees, and cars. If a debris flows enters a steep stream channel, they can travel for several miles, impacting areas unaware of the hazard. Areas recently burned by a forest fire are especially susceptible to debris flows, including the areas downslope and outside of the burned area. Debris flows are a type of landslide and are sometimes referred to as mudslides, mudflows, lahars, or debris avalanche.

I close with the latest information from the Cal Fire Incidents page on wildfires currently burning in Los Angeles, note this page is updated frequently so you may see information for different fires on that page. The fire information that I post below is current as of January 27th at 12:30 PM EST

obtained on Jan 27th at 12:30 PM EST from the Cal Fire Incidents page

• Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County, 23,448 acres burned, 94 percent contained
• Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County, 14,021 acres burned, 98 percent containment
• Hughes Fire, Los Angeles County, 10,425 acres burned, 95 percent containment