Mudslides could follow wildfires in California

The Guardian quoted UB associate professor of geography Christian Renschler in an article on how heavy rains forecasted across California could create mudslides and floods, threatening the safety of those living in camps after being displaced by the fires. Renschler explained that the rain water is not absorbed into the earth because carbon from the fires seal the soil’s surface. The debris and ash, when mixed with the water, also form a cement-like mixture that may damage infrastructure, he says.