Palisades Fire Response

In the aftermath of the fires, many grew concerned about the potential for torrential rains to unleash mudslides, as happened after the 2017/18 Thomas Fire in Montecito, California. The Palisades Fire occurred at roughly the same time of year as the Thomas Fire, during the winter rainy season, and in a similar setting amidst the urban-wilderness interface, where steep slopes were dotted with dozens of homes that became ash and debris.

To investigate these potential dangers, I used the ArcGIS Pro Simulation Toolbox to simulate a worst-case rainfall and flooding scenario, in which an inch of rain falls in five minutes. Thankfully, the real-life scenario was much tamer, and flooding was limited to pre-existing watersheds, but the above web-scene serves as a stark reminder of what could have occurred.