By Mary O’KEEFE

Rainy weather in Crescenta Valley means watchful eyes toward the fire- scarred mountains.

Although the Station Fire was two years ago, officials have warned again and again at community meetings that the danger of mudslides is not over. In fact, some warn that flooding and mudslides occurred in burn areas up to five years after a major wildfire.

The rain that occurred on Wednesday did not seem to have any ill affect to the burned area.

“Upper Shields [debris basin] was completed [Wednesday] morning,” said Kerjon Lee, spokesman for the Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County.

Public works began a sediment clean out of the Upper Shields debris basin on Sept. 14. That clean-out was completed on Wednesday.

“Everything [all debris basins] is at the low threshold. We are preparing for the upcoming rainy season,” Lee said. “The work at Shields concluded our storm preparation for the year.”

Lee added public works employees regularly monitor the debris basins, with increased patrols during inclement weather.

The rainy season that followed the fall 2009 Station Fire created mudflows that damaged property in the foothills community. Since then, trucks traveling up and down Briggs, Rosemont and La Crescenta avenues carrying debris from the basins are commonplace.

“All the debris channels [in the area] are clear. We don’t expect [too much] sediment from this [weather] system,” Lee said.

The rain was expected to leave the area by Wednesday night, with a slight chance of showers in the mountains Thursday.

Wednesday was the second storm system to move through the area that began on Tuesday evening.

After a few clouds today, the forecast for the area is sunny, said Bonnie Bartling, weather specialist with the National Weather system.

  Charly Shelton, Mary Okeefe