A bipartisan bill introduced on Jan. 28 by three California lawmakers would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to maintain a program that improves wildfire forecasting and detection.

The rain that is expected to hit the scorched Los Angeles landscape this weekend may bring relief to the fire fights, but it could also bring flash floods and mudslides. Although forecasts show that the risk is relatively low, local officials are taking the warnings seriously.

The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

When smoke from area wildfires billowed over the hills near Ashley Livingston-Litwin's home in Los Angeles, she quickly evacuated at local officials' orders — the first time the New Orleans

Windy and dry conditions have returned to Southern California, raising the risk of new wildfires sparking as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area that started in similar weather nearly two weeks ago.

Hundreds of Altadena residents, encouraged by L.A. County Supervisor Barger, vow to return, but we need to balance risks and merits of swiftly rebuilding after the fires.

FEMA is opening a new disaster recovery center in Altadena to assist Eaton fire victims, and the sheriff's department says it will conduct property checks of vacant homes.

Why now: On Sunday morning, Altadena residents were taking advantage of free sandbags available to prepare for the rain. “We have pre-deployed strike teams and search and rescue task forces in the area to deal with any excessive rain or mud and debris flow,” Fire Captain Joshua Swaney said.

Heavy rain is in the forecast starting 4 p.m. on Sunday until Monday afternoon. Burn scars, in particular those around the Eaton Fire areas, might see the hardest impact.

Community members to put their tech skills and cameras to work, creating an online map of about 15,000 homes in the Eaton Fire zone that allows users to click through to current photos of those properties.