This is serious business

No sooner had we seen the bright orange flames of the Station fire crest over the San Gabriels in late August than we veteran Southlanders began chattering about the potential for mudslides and debris flow we’d endure during the next rainstorm.

We’ve seen it before: burn, flood; burn, mudslide; burn, lives endangered — and even lost — when rushing water and boulders sweep through a town following a storm.

And a report issued this week by the U.S. Geological Survey confirmed we are in for a difficult time ahead. They conducted a study that found “some watersheds in the burn area could generate debris flows up to 100,000 cubic yards of material — large enough to fill approximately a football field 60 feet deep with mud and rock.”

The agency’s report includes this statement from Susan Cannon, research geologist for the USGS: “People may remember that 16 people were killed by debris flows during the Christmas Day storm [after San Bernardino fires] in 2003; but few realize that those were only two debris flows out of the hundreds that were triggered from the burn area. Nearly every burned watershed produced destructive debris flows or floods in response to that storm. Some of the areas burned by the Station fire show the highest likelihood for big debris flows that I’ve ever seen.”

Ever since the earliest hours of the blaze, our city leaders have been pounding on the county, and anyone else who has a stake, to help La Cañadans prepare for the worst. We have a story about it on page 1 today and figure this will be an ongoing concern that will be reported on continually until (and unless) we feel we’re all out of danger.

Residents will be called upon to do their part. Those who live in the most precarious spots for debris flow will be asked to help protect their own properties. The rest of us will need to take care and follow directions given by safety officials when the debris fills some of our streets.

This is very serious business. Do not kid yourself that La Cañada will be spared, as it was during the fire. I hope many of you will join me in attending a public meeting at City Hall on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7 p.m., when experts will give us the low-down on how to prepare for the worst.