Evacuation warnings in place as heavy rain could slam California burn scar areas, causing mudslides, debris flows

Evacuation warnings have been issued for parts of Southern California as an impending storm threatens to bring potential mudslides and debris flows to areas that have been scarred by wildfires, according to county officials. Residents in these at-risk areas are advised to be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice, as per a statement from Los Angeles County officials.

The evacuation warnings are currently in effect for several burn scar areas, including Canyon, Bethany, Eaton, Palisades, Hurst, Kenneth, Sunset, Lidia, Franklin, and Bridge, as confirmed by officials. California Governor Gavin Newsom has announced the pre-deployment of emergency resources to safeguard communities in Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties from the potential dangers of mudslides and debris flow.

The approaching storm, identified as a moderate atmospheric river developing along a cold front, is projected to impact regions of Northern and Central California, Washington, and Oregon on Thursday before making its way to Southern California. Heavy rainfall is anticipated in the Bay Area and Sacramento on Thursday morning, with some areas expected to receive up to 4 inches of rain, before moving south to Los Angeles late Thursday into Friday morning.

Flood watches have been issued across a significant portion of Central and Southern California, encompassing areas like Los Angeles and San Diego, for Friday and Saturday. The storm is expected to bring continued heavy rain across Southern California on Friday and Saturday, with rainfall amounts ranging from 1 to 3 inches in Western California. Higher elevations near Santa Barbara could experience even greater rainfall, with 4 to 6 inches predicted over the course of Friday and Saturday, posing risks of rockslides, landslides, and debris flow.

The system is also anticipated to bring below-average temperatures to Southern California, with scattered showers remaining a possibility from Sunday through at least Tuesday. The Los Angeles County Fire Department has advised residents residing in areas susceptible to flooding to avoid flood channels, catch basins, canyons, and waterways vulnerable to floods. In the event of evacuation, individuals are urged to only return to their homes once local authorities have deemed it safe to do so.

The evacuation warnings for Southern California are set to remain in place through Sunday, as confirmed by officials. ABC News’ Dan Peck has contributed to this report.