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Residents living in areas at high risk for flooding and debris flows, such as recent wildfire burn zones, were asked Wednesday to be prepared for the possibility of evacuation warnings and orders as the most powerful storm of the season arrives in Southern California

Evacuation warnings were issued late Wednesday afternoon for recent Los Angeles wildfire burn scar areas ahead of a more intense wave of rain in the forecast. The warning, indicating residents should prepare for evacuations, will take effect at 7 a.m. Thursday for areas near the Palisades, Sunset and Hurst fires.

The warnings include the following locations.

• Palisades Fire area (Pacific Palisades): Getty Villa area, Highlands near the burn areas, Bienveneda area near Temescal Canyon Park, Reseda Boulevard area/Marinette Road near Will Rogers State Park, and Mandeville Canyon above Tanners Road.
• Sunset Fire area (Hollywood Hills): East and south of Runyon Canyon.
• Hurst Fire area (Sylmar): Olive Lane in the Oakridge Mobile Home Park.

Homes considered to be at high risk will be subject to mandatory evacuation orders. Those residents will be contacted directly by the LAFD, the agency said.

In the Eaton Fire area, deputies were notifying residents of at-risk properties that they are under evacuation orders beginning at 7 a.m. on Thursday. Evacuation warnings were expected in areas that could be cut off from roads by mud and debris flows.

Public works crews in Los Angeles County have been clearing debris basins and storm drains, and handing out sandbags to residents ahead of the most intense periods of rain on Thursday. Scattered showers soaked the region Wednesday, offering time for residents to prepare in the few final hours before the brunt of the rainfall.

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“Please, if evacuation orders are made… keep your safety in mind,” Los Angeles Count Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Wednesday morning news conference. “They help to protect you and your loved ones from potential danger. Storms can bring sudden and severe conditions that make staying back home extremely risky. Please take necessary steps now to prepare. Pack an emergency kit, secure important documents and ensure that you have a plan in place for your pets and family members.

“And remember, if you’re ordered to leave, you may be gone for several days. I cannot stand up here and tell you will be gone for 12 hours, 24 hours. We don’t know. It depends on the weather and the post-weather events that will impact your specific neighborhood.”

Luna said formal evacuation warnings will likely be issued, possibly followed by evacuation orders, depending how the storm develops.

A flash flood watch, indicating the potential for flooding to develop, will be in effect from Thursday morning into the evening. More urgent flash flood warnings, indicting flooding is happening or imminent, could be issued as the storm intensifies.

The most significant rain-maker of the season comes more than a month after the start of the deadly Eaton Fire in Altadena and the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades. Both fires stripped hillsides of vegetation, leaving those areas more prone to flooding and damaging debris flows.

Luna said deputies have also been in flood-prone areas such as the Los Angeles River to warn homeless people who may be camped there to relocate.

“Unfortunately, we witnessed numerous, numerous instances in the past of swift-water rescues where people were caught in dangerous, fast moving water, and obviously, we want to prevent that,” he said.

Source: NBC Los Angeles