Residents in Duarte, La Tuna Canyon Fire burn areas prepare for possible rainstorm

SUN VALLEY, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Residents in Duarte and the areas affected by the La Tuna Canyon Fire were concerned Friday for potential mudslides from forecasted rains headed to the area during the weekend.

The vegetation had soaked up the rain for decades, but the La Tuna Canyon area burned away in a large brush fire that erupted Labor Day weekend. Now that area could be ripe for mudslides caused by heavy rains.

Karen Long and her family took precautions they said can protect their Sun Valley home. They used sand bags and a new wall that will hopefully do the job.

"We were told there could be 13 dump truck loads of mud coming off of our hill. They told us to put up about 250 sandbags. My husband said that'll look like World War II. So instead we've been building a block wall so that the mud would flow down the hillside down our cement swell and the wall, hopefully, that we've built will usher it out to the front," she said.

Down her street, Doug Litchfield explained how fortunate he and his family are that they did not have much to do to protect their home.

Los Angeles city and county officials took what they call proactive steps to protect the properties in the burn areas. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said one of the joint projects has been to clear out catch basins in the heart of the burn area.

Residents in Duarte and the areas affected by the La Tuna Canyon Fire were concerned Friday for potential mudslides from forecasted rains headed to the area during the weekend.

In Duarte, residents near the area that was burned by the Fish Fire prepared for possible mudslides. During a heavy rainy season, several neighborhoods became covered in feet of mud and debris. But those rains also helped bring back vegetation to the once barren area.

That grow should help hold the soil in place. City and county crews also cleared out catch basins and culverts in the area to prepare for whatever Mother Nature brings.

Most residents said they don't think they'll see a repeat.

Residents in both burn areas have been told to be prepared to evacuate just in case. But they are hoping that even with the rains, it'll still be a quiet weekend.