Evacuation Warnings Issued Across Los Angeles Ahead of New Year’s Storm

Parts of the Greater Los Angeles Metro Area are under evacuation warnings as another round of rain threatens Southern California, raising the risk of floods, debris flows, and mudslides in vulnerable burn scar areas.

Rain Threatens Burn Scar Areas
Nine burn scar regions are currently under evacuation warnings, starting Dec. 31 at 11 a.m. PST. These include areas affected by past wildfires such as:

Palisades Fire burn scar near Malibu
Canyon Fire near Halsey Canyon
Kenneth Fire near Calabasas
Agua Dulce and Lidia burn scar near Soledad Canyon Road in Acton
Franklin Fire near Malibu Creek State Park
Kaslow Nature Preserve and Pepperdine University Malibu Campus
Eaton Fire near Altadena
Bridge Fire near Camp Williams and East Fork San Gabriel River
Bridge Fire near Mount Baldy

The warnings come just a week after historic rainfall caused widespread flooding on Christmas Eve, particularly in Wrightwood, where mudslides and debris flows devastated neighborhoods in the Bridge Fire burn scar area.

Forecast and Flood Risk
A weakening low-pressure system from the subtropical Pacific is bringing light to moderate rain to Southern California on New Year’s Eve, with peak rainfall expected on New Year’s Day. Already saturated ground raises concerns for flash flooding, prompting a level two (of four) flash flood risk from Wednesday through Thursday, covering areas from Los Angeles to Santa Barbara.

Forecasts indicate an additional 1–2 inches of rain across much of the region, with localized totals of 2–3 inches or more in the Transverse Ranges. Once this system moves out, a larger storm could impact Northern and Central California, bringing heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and Sierra Nevada mountain snow.

Flash Flood Watches and Precautions
Residents are urged to monitor local alerts and be prepared for rapid flooding, especially in low-lying and burn scar areas. The Climate Prediction Center continues to highlight above-average precipitation chances for the western U.S. into early January.

Authorities stress caution for New Year’s celebrations, advising against unnecessary travel in flood-prone areas.

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