SoCal communities left with mud, damage after days of wet weather

People living in the Palisades Fire burn zone are on alert with the incoming storm prompting evacuation and flood warnings, as well as road closures.

People living in the Palisades Fire burn zone are on alert with the incoming storm prompting evacuation and flood warnings, as well as road closures.

The evacuation warning for the Palisades Fire burn scar -- issued due to the threat of mudslides and debris flows -- goes into effect at 11 a.m. on Tuesday.

Residents in Malibu and the surrounding communities are bracing for heavy rain, and for some, that may mean a quiet Christmas at home.

"If the roads close, I was saying to my husband this morning that if the roads close, we're going to end up just probably staying home or maybe we'll go over to Joffrey's, because I would imagine they'll get some cancellations over there," said Teresa Legrove, who lives in Malibu Country Estates.

In the area, tarps line hillsides, k-rails remain in place and crews are reinforcing slopes and barriers to help prevent mudslides.

A meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says communities near recent burn scars should be especially cautious.

"The potential is definitely there for a couple of mudslides, debris flows, particularly in areas that have seen wildfires in recent history," NOAA meteorologist Kyle Wheeler said.

Even though classes aren't in session, students are still on campus at Pepperdine University, where staff say they're also preparing.

"We have close to 1,000 sandbags. We have about 500 sand and about 500 gravel, so we're just making sure that we deploy those sandbags to make sure that there aren't any slides, and that all the drains are taken care of," said Sergia Pena.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass says the city is also readying resources. In Pacific Palisades, 13,000 feet of k-rails remain in place, sandbags have been deployed, and the Los Angeles Fire Department is increasing staffing in case water rescues are needed.

Residents told Eyewitness News they are particularly concerned about potential road closures.

"I live up in Calabasas right now, so they're, you know, they just give extra time, and that's what I'm kind of doing too. I live in an apartment complex, so it's not a real problem for me where I'm at, but I do see other areas where it can definitely be problematic, especially on PCH," Paul Sullivan said.

Bass said sandbags are available at every fire station. Residents can sign up for emergency alerts at notifyla.org.

The storm may bring mudslides and flooding to areas impacted by recent fires. People living in the Eaton Fire burn zone are being urged to prepare.

The incoming storm may bring potential mudslides and flooding to areas impacted by recent fires. People living in the Eaton Fire burn zone are being urged to prepare.

Sand and sandbags are being offered to local residents at distribution sites.

Altadena resident Mooler Ang lost his home in the Eaton Fire. Now, he wants to make sure the storm doesn't do even more damage to his property.

"I've been doing this for the past three days, just gearing up," Ang said. "It's a lot. I guess it's like going to the gym."

Ang is living in an RV with his wife on their property while they wait for the rebuilding process to play out.

"[This year has been] one of the toughest going through. I actually retired in July so I could take care of the rebuilding. It's a lot going through that," Ang said. "I can see why some people may have been not wanting to do it. It is hard, so it takes both my wife and I to handle it."

Less than a mile away, workers were seen scrambling to finish the roof of a rebuilt home on Christmas Tree Lane before the rain starts to fall.

AIR7 captured video of a lot of last-minute work near the burn scar to tarp over properties and get K-rail in place before any mud washes off the hillsides.

"Just take precautions. Keep an eye on your property. Make sure drains are properly draining. Be extra diligent, and keep an eye on everything," said Dep. Chief Anthony James with Pasadena Fire.

Another thing residents should think about is their Christmas decor. If you have inflatables in your yard, there is a risk of them blowing away.

An evacuation warning is in place for the Eaton Fire burn scar, as well as other SoCal communities impacted by recent fires.

Los Angeles County officials released an interactive map of evacuation warnings as the region braces for a storm that is expected to slam Southern California with heavy rain.

The evacuation warning will be in effect from 11 a.m. Tuesday through 11 p.m. Thursday for the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst burn scar areas.

Evacuation orders are in place for a select number of vulnerable properties. Los Angeles police were going door-to-door, alerting residents at vulnerable addresses.

Here is an interactive map showing the latest evacuation information:

The National Weather Service (NWS) has upgraded parts of Southern California to "high risk" for excessive rainfall and flash flooding on Christmas Eve.

The greatest risk is across wildfire burn scar areas, with mudslides and debris flows possible.

Portions of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties are facing a significant flash flood threat on Wednesday.

The "high risk" area is just north of the city of Los Angeles and includes places like Burbank, Altadena, Glendale, San Bernardino, Santa Clarita and Thousand Oaks.

The NWS says the threat of widespread, life-threatening flash flooding is increasing in the region. Officials say it's rare to be under a "high risk" level 4/4 storm, with the risk only issued about 4% of days and accounting for one-third of all flood-related fatalities and 80% of all flood-related damages.