California mountain towns clean up mud flows
1:00 AM
Posted: Wednesday, July 16, 2008
LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. (AP) -- Bulldozers worked Tuesday to reopen roads and clear tons of mud left by flash floods after thunderstorms unleashed downpours on mountain slopes burned bare by California wildfires.
An evacuation warning remained in effect for about 80 homes in the Erskine Creek area of Lake Isabella, a community near a forest fire about 90 miles north of Los Angeles.
"It's safer if they just stay out till the threat ... is over," said fire spokeswoman Barbara Dougan.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the fourth day in row for the town, downslope from the fire.
After about an hour of rain Tuesday, a creek swelled over a road, said Kern County Fire Department spokesman Chris Stroub.
"Today it wasn't so bad because the rain fell on the eastern, desert side," Stroub said. "That drainage is less inhabited and people were prepared for it because it's been going on for a couple days now."
Earlier rainstorms left streets covered by ash and mud Monday afternoon.
Donna Campbell, who works in the town, said the mud covered one block of Lake Isabella Boulevard nearly 3 feet deep, she said, and "has people's belongings in it."
No major damage was reported, but flows that began during the weekend had dirtied creeks, Dougan said.
Afternoon thunderstorms over the mountains have dumped about an hour of heavy rain daily, said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
A flash flood watch was in effect until late Tuesday in the Sierra Nevada and other areas. Wednesday was expected to be drier, said Gary Sanger, a Weather Service meteorologist in Hanford.
Cleanup crews were still busy in the Inyo County town of Independence, below the eastern flank of the Sierra, where rain falling on the scars of wildfires last year triggered flash floods Saturday, damaging homes and covering U.S. 395 -- the major artery of eastern California -- with debris.
Cars were escorted through a single lane of the highway, about 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
Mud badly damaged at least 25 structures and many outbuildings. Residents were sent to a shelter.
"The damage is devastating. It's amazing to me that no lives were lost, truly, because there was no warning," Inyo County sheriff's spokeswoman Carma Roper said.
"In some areas, there's feet of silt and debris that has washed down," she said.
An evacuation warning remained in effect for about 80 homes in the Erskine Creek area of Lake Isabella, a community near a forest fire about 90 miles north of Los Angeles.
"It's safer if they just stay out till the threat ... is over," said fire spokeswoman Barbara Dougan.
The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for the fourth day in row for the town, downslope from the fire.
After about an hour of rain Tuesday, a creek swelled over a road, said Kern County Fire Department spokesman Chris Stroub.
"Today it wasn't so bad because the rain fell on the eastern, desert side," Stroub said. "That drainage is less inhabited and people were prepared for it because it's been going on for a couple days now."
Earlier rainstorms left streets covered by ash and mud Monday afternoon.
Donna Campbell, who works in the town, said the mud covered one block of Lake Isabella Boulevard nearly 3 feet deep, she said, and "has people's belongings in it."
No major damage was reported, but flows that began during the weekend had dirtied creeks, Dougan said.
Afternoon thunderstorms over the mountains have dumped about an hour of heavy rain daily, said Eric Boldt, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
A flash flood watch was in effect until late Tuesday in the Sierra Nevada and other areas. Wednesday was expected to be drier, said Gary Sanger, a Weather Service meteorologist in Hanford.
Cleanup crews were still busy in the Inyo County town of Independence, below the eastern flank of the Sierra, where rain falling on the scars of wildfires last year triggered flash floods Saturday, damaging homes and covering U.S. 395 -- the major artery of eastern California -- with debris.
Cars were escorted through a single lane of the highway, about 200 miles north of Los Angeles.
Mud badly damaged at least 25 structures and many outbuildings. Residents were sent to a shelter.
"The damage is devastating. It's amazing to me that no lives were lost, truly, because there was no warning," Inyo County sheriff's spokeswoman Carma Roper said.
"In some areas, there's feet of silt and debris that has washed down," she said.
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 0 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
