>> WE CAN SEE WHAT MAKES IT

ESPECIALLY DIFFICULT.

LITTLE IF ANY LIGHT THERE.

WHEN IT COMINGS TO MUDSLIDES,

KNOWLEDGE IS EVERYTHING.

MAPPING AREAS AT RISK FOR

MUDSLIDES IS ESSENTIAL.

LOLITA LOPEZ JOINS US LIVE IN

STUDIO WITH INFORMATION THAT CAN

LITERALLY SAVE LIVES.

>> IF YOU HAVEN’T CHECKED IT OUT

ALREADY, YOU HAVE TO.

THIS IS A MAP, USGS MAP AND

FOLKS AT ESRI.

THESE ARE AREAS OF RISK FOR

DEBRIS AND MUD FLOW.

CHECK IT OUT.

THIS RED AND CRIMSON ARE AREAS

WITH HIGHER PERCENTAGE FOR THOSE

TYPES OF FLOWS.

I AM TALKING TO ONE OF THE MAIN PEOPLE BEHIND THE ON-GOING

RESEARCH.

WE FOUND IT TAKES VERY LITTLE TO

CREATE A MASSIVE PROBLEM.

>> THE THOMAS FIRE AREA,

IDENTIFIED A HALF INCH OVER ONE

HOUR IS ALL IT TAKES TO CAUSE

FLOODING AND DEBRIS FLOWS.

>> IT IS SO FAST, IT IS ALMOST

RIGHT ON TOP OF THE RAIN, MUD,

DEBRIS, ROCKS, BOULDERS, AND

THAT CAN TRAVEL SUPER FAST,

FASTER THAN A PERSON CAN RUN.

>> THAT’S WHY JASON KEEN FROM

THE USGS LANDSLIDE PROGRAM SAYS

PAY ATTENTION TO WARNINGS.

>> THIS IS A WAKE UP CALL.

THOSE WARNINGS, EVACUATION

ORDERS SHOULD BE HEEDED BECAUSE

THEY WERE SPOT ON.

>> Reporter: MANY MUD SLIDES

TUESDAY HAPPENED IN AREAS THEY

MARKED AS HAVING HIGH LIKELIHOOD

OF DEBRIS FLOW IN INTENSE RAIN,

USING SATELLITE TECHNOLOGY AND

EQUIPMENT AND MONITORS ON THE

GROUND.

THEN THERE ARE AREAS OUTSIDE

PLACES WHERE DEBRIS FLOW WAS

CALCULATED TO MOST LIKELY

HAPPEN.

THIS IS MONTECITO, WHERE DEBRIS

AND MUD FLOW LED TO SEVERAL

DEATHS ACCORDING TO OFFICIALS.

THIS AREA IN BURBANK, NEAR BUT

NOT HIGHLIGHTED, SAW SIGNIFICANT

MUD SLIDES TOO.

THAT’S WHERE OUR NBC4 CREWS

CAPTURED THIS.

>> Reporter: ANOTHER WAVE OF MUD

DOWN CUB CLUB DRIVE.

>> THERE WERE MANDATORY

EVACUATIONS MONDAY AND NO

PARKING ON STREETS.

>> TAKES SEVERAL YEARS TO

RECOVER.

>> IN THE PAST, NETTING WAS USED

TO STOP MUD FROM COMING DOWN,

BUT IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND

SOMETIMES DOESN’T WORK WITH FAST

MOVING WEATHER LIKE WE HAVE BEEN

HAVING.

THE BEST THING IS BE READY,

CHECK IN WITH THE LATEST REPORTS

FROM FIRST RESPONDERS AND HERE.

PRIORITY ONE IS GET ON THE MAP.

YOU CAN PUT YOUR ADDRESS IN

THERE AND PINPOINT WHERE YOU

LIVE OR WORK, SEE IF YOU’RE NEAR

ANY OF THE AREAS.

>> THAT’S AMAZING, AND OF COURSE

WHEN AUTHORITIES SAY GO, THEY’VE

DONE THEIR HOMEWORK, YOU NEED TO