Neighborhoods in Sierra Madre face a weekend of cleanup after the most powerful storm of the season left parts of the foothill community covered in mud.
The San Gabriel Valley city was hard hit by this week’s storm, which brought hours of sometimes heavy rainfall Thursday and flash flooding. Thick mud coated streets, forcing closures after a flow of muddy water rushed downhill and streamed into residential areas.
Video showed 20 to 30 plastic sanitation bins carried away in the river of mud and debris. Several vehicles were stuck in mud up to the tops of their wheel wells, requiring removal by tow trucks.
The Eaton Fire, which started Jan. 7 in a brutal Santa Ana windstorm, stripped hillsides in the area of vegetation, increasing the risk of powerful mud and debris flows.
“If this storm had happened six weeks ago, none of this would’ve happened,” said resident Mary Forney. “That’s just nature.”
Flood warnings issued Thursday covered Pasadena, Altadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia and Monrovia and other areas. Evacuation warnings were issued in the San Gabriel foothills near the Eaton Fire burn area, affecting thousands of residents.
The city of Sierra Madre issued mandatory evacuation orders Thursday morning impacting nearly 1,000 residences.
Road closures and restrictions remain in effect Saturday in the lower canyons. All of Sturtevant Drive was closed to traffic.
Other closures include:
- North Mountain Trail Avenue between East Grandview Avenue and East Mira Monte Avenue.
- Churchill Road
- Skyland Drive
- Orange Drive
- Idlehour Lane
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