Malibu residents and others living in areas scorched by the Woolsey Fire were filling and piling up sandbags Tuesday afternoon in preparation for the possibility of mudslides.
The bags are available at fire stations around Los Angeles County while some areas burned by the recent wildfire have still yet to repopulate and recover, according to county emergency officials. A 20-mile stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway has been closed as residents in the area brace for rainy weather that could trigger possible debris and mud flow.
An area of just over 150 square miles was left scorched by the Woolsey Fire last month, which killed three people and destroyed about 1,500 structures.
Officials have warned residents in those areas and along Sycamore Canyon Road to pay attention to the weather forecasts and prepare accordingly. At one spot along the PCH, Malibu residents gathered to fill and pick up sandbags they would use as barriers for their homes.
“Driving around the coast, I was just amazed at all the destruction this fire has caused,” said David Armstrong, a Lynwood resident who decided to volunteer and help out the Malibu locals.
He was shoveling sand into the bags and already had some ready to go by the time some local residents started showing up, according to Steve Cole, who lives in the hills nearby.
“He’s been putting them together all day, for us up there who are worried about the rain. So thank you,” he said, turning toward Armstrong.
Residents can search for areas where to find free sandbags here and can find a map of areas where debris flow is likely to occur can be found here.
From information on road closures to help from county engineers with lessening the effects of debris flow, various resources for facing mudslide dangers can be found on the county website’s page for flooding concerns.