The Spyglass neighborhood was one of several forced to evacuate from the Avila Fire in June. On Thursday night around 10:30 p.m., residents watched mudslides get dangerously close to their homes.
Mudslide in Avila Fire burn scar worrying residents about potential for bigger disaster
SHELL BEACH, Calif. Heavy rains in Shell Beach triggered a small mudslide in the Avila Fire burn scar late Thursday night.
The flow sent mud and debris into a private neighborhood located along Mattie Road. I looked out the window and saw the mudflow, said Phyllis Snelling. There definitely was a mudflow coming down the street.
Snelling said the experience was so terrifying, she was ready to evacuate. I was scared enough to call the police and ask what was going on, said Snelling. I had a backpack packed.
Heavy rainfall tests mudslide barriers at Avila Fire burn scar
Healy, Megan
and last updated 2021-01-29 00:36:51-05
Mudslide barriers are holding up near the Avila Fire burn scar during the storm.
The blackened hillsides are a concern for potential debris flow and mudslides.
Crews have put in hay barriers to prevent any rocks, mud or vegetation from flowing down into Mattie Rd. and other residential streets.
Crews monitoring the Avila Fire burn scar for potential flooding/mudslide/debris flow with the heavy rains. Public works finished mitigation efforts in November and you can see hay barriers line the bottom of the hill up to Mattie Rd. @KSBYpic.twitter.com/YuAe1KmEMr Megan Healy (@MeganHealyTV) January 28, 2021
First Street in Avila Beach is closed due to flooding on Wednesday. (Dave Alley/KEYT)
SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY, Calif. The first major rainstorm of 2021 took a pounding on San Luis Obispo County on Wednesday.
Many areas received several inches of rain, including Cambria, which has recorded more than six inches as of Wednesday night. It s been very, very wet, as wet as I ve ever seen it im my 12 years here, said Cambria resident Ron Comeau. The water is just all over the place.
The North Coast town experienced flooding in many areas, as well as downed trees.
Cambria was also hit with several power outages over the course of the day, affected hundreds of customers.
Flash flood warning issued for North Coast [The Tribune (San Luis Obispo, Calif.)]
Jan. 28 The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning for much of the North Coast early Thursday morning.
According to the National Weather Service, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicate “very heavy rain falling in Cambria and Cayucos.” Between 4 and 8 inches of rain have fallen so far, according to the Weather Service.
Rainfall is expected to increase and drop between 0.75 and 1 inches in the next hour, and additional rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are possible.
According to the agency, flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the areas of Cambria, San Simeon, Hearst Castle and Cayucos.