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CNN Live Today

California Mudslides

Aired December 26, 2003 - 10:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back to Southern California right now, where several people are missing after a devastating mudslide at a church campground. Peter Brierty of the San Bernardino County Fire Department joins us with the very latest.
Chief, thanks for joining us.

Give me the latest update on exactly how many people you're looking for. There have been some conflicting numbers.

CHIEF PETER BRIERTY, SAN BERNARDINO CO. FIRE MARSHALL: Right now we're looking for at least 10 people that we know of that were in a party of 24 that were having a Christmas celebration yesterday afternoon before the flood hit.

WHITFIELD: And exactly what is your understanding as to what happened? We know the vegetation has been stripped away from the land during the wildfires in October and November, and that certainly made for a very precarious situation when you got the heavy rains. Was there any warning that any of the campers or folks in the mountain received?

BRIERTY: Well, no, because we've had several rain events since the fire, but we are actually about a quarter of a mile from ground zero of the old fire, where the old fire actually started.

But the problem that we have is that there is just absolutely no vegetation to hold this water back. And when it came down, it collected all the burned debris, and basically had a tidal wave of rocks, boulders logs, full-size trees that crashed through this area where these people were enjoying themselves on Christmas afternoon. And there were approximately 10 people in one of the structures. There were another 14 in another, and the one with the 10 people in it is the one that got hit most severely. And those are the folks that we're looking for right now.

WHITFIELD: Might this in any way have been anticipated, knowing that the land would have been made loose or these mudslides could have taken place from heavy rains? That perhaps people in this area might have gotten some kind of warning that maybe this is not where they need to be?

BRIERTY: Well, actually before the old fire, flames were out, San Bernardino County board of supervisors were working on a plan for mud and erosion and debris control. But the front country that we're dealing with that's been burned is over 30 miles long. There's over 15 major flood control basins that drain in here. And above those, are hundreds and hundreds of these canyons that people use -- live in, recreate in, travel through, and like I said, we've had rain events here since the fires, and in this case, we predicted flood events all the way across the front country, 30 miles of it, but it's very difficult to pinpoint exactly where it's going to happen, because the rain prediction is the most difficult. When get these cells that stand above a canyon, and just absolutely drench the area with water. There is no way to predict those.

WHITFIELD: Now let's talk about the hazards and the difficulties that rescuers are now dealing with. I understand several feet of debris, in some cases you've got quicksand. One of the other fire officials describing the scenario that way. What are the rescuers and the search teams up against?

BRIERTY: Well, the rescuers are facing exactly what you described, quicksand conditions. The roads up there are covered with boulders, full-size logs, 20, 30 foot long, that are stacked up like matchsticks. There are several structures that are still standing. We just got off the helicopter. It's amazing that some of these structures are still standing up there, considering what they've been through. There are Volkswagen-size boulders on the roads. It's going to take many, many days to reconstruct those roads. We're not waiting for that. We have crews of approximately 70 search and rescue, San Bernardino County fire folks that are going to make it up there today, we're going to make it through there, and look for these folks, and hopefully come out with a successful outcome.

WHITFIELD: And looking ahead. Later on today, what's the weather looking like? How is this going to help you or hamper in your continued search?

BRIERTY: The help that we're getting is that it's very, very clear today. So we're getting the helicopters in the air, the sheriff's aviation folks are helping out tremendously here, getting a bird's-eye view of what happened, helping with our strategic plans in here, and also with the ability that we have now to get people into areas that they formerly could not get into, so the clear skies have been a tremendous benefit, unlike what we had last night, that was absolutely impossible conditions here.

WHITFIELD: Chief Peter Brierty, thanks very much for joining us. And best of luck to you in your continued efforts today.

BRIERTY: Thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired December 26, 2003 - 10:32   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: Let's go back to Southern California right now, where several people are missing after a devastating mudslide at a church campground. Peter Brierty of the San Bernardino County Fire Department joins us with the very latest.
Chief, thanks for joining us.

Give me the latest update on exactly how many people you're looking for. There have been some conflicting numbers.

CHIEF PETER BRIERTY, SAN BERNARDINO CO. FIRE MARSHALL: Right now we're looking for at least 10 people that we know of that were in a party of 24 that were having a Christmas celebration yesterday afternoon before the flood hit.

WHITFIELD: And exactly what is your understanding as to what happened? We know the vegetation has been stripped away from the land during the wildfires in October and November, and that certainly made for a very precarious situation when you got the heavy rains. Was there any warning that any of the campers or folks in the mountain received?

BRIERTY: Well, no, because we've had several rain events since the fire, but we are actually about a quarter of a mile from ground zero of the old fire, where the old fire actually started.

But the problem that we have is that there is just absolutely no vegetation to hold this water back. And when it came down, it collected all the burned debris, and basically had a tidal wave of rocks, boulders logs, full-size trees that crashed through this area where these people were enjoying themselves on Christmas afternoon. And there were approximately 10 people in one of the structures. There were another 14 in another, and the one with the 10 people in it is the one that got hit most severely. And those are the folks that we're looking for right now.

WHITFIELD: Might this in any way have been anticipated, knowing that the land would have been made loose or these mudslides could have taken place from heavy rains? That perhaps people in this area might have gotten some kind of warning that maybe this is not where they need to be?

BRIERTY: Well, actually before the old fire, flames were out, San Bernardino County board of supervisors were working on a plan for mud and erosion and debris control. But the front country that we're dealing with that's been burned is over 30 miles long. There's over 15 major flood control basins that drain in here. And above those, are hundreds and hundreds of these canyons that people use -- live in, recreate in, travel through, and like I said, we've had rain events here since the fires, and in this case, we predicted flood events all the way across the front country, 30 miles of it, but it's very difficult to pinpoint exactly where it's going to happen, because the rain prediction is the most difficult. When get these cells that stand above a canyon, and just absolutely drench the area with water. There is no way to predict those.

WHITFIELD: Now let's talk about the hazards and the difficulties that rescuers are now dealing with. I understand several feet of debris, in some cases you've got quicksand. One of the other fire officials describing the scenario that way. What are the rescuers and the search teams up against?

BRIERTY: Well, the rescuers are facing exactly what you described, quicksand conditions. The roads up there are covered with boulders, full-size logs, 20, 30 foot long, that are stacked up like matchsticks. There are several structures that are still standing. We just got off the helicopter. It's amazing that some of these structures are still standing up there, considering what they've been through. There are Volkswagen-size boulders on the roads. It's going to take many, many days to reconstruct those roads. We're not waiting for that. We have crews of approximately 70 search and rescue, San Bernardino County fire folks that are going to make it up there today, we're going to make it through there, and look for these folks, and hopefully come out with a successful outcome.

WHITFIELD: And looking ahead. Later on today, what's the weather looking like? How is this going to help you or hamper in your continued search?

BRIERTY: The help that we're getting is that it's very, very clear today. So we're getting the helicopters in the air, the sheriff's aviation folks are helping out tremendously here, getting a bird's-eye view of what happened, helping with our strategic plans in here, and also with the ability that we have now to get people into areas that they formerly could not get into, so the clear skies have been a tremendous benefit, unlike what we had last night, that was absolutely impossible conditions here.

WHITFIELD: Chief Peter Brierty, thanks very much for joining us. And best of luck to you in your continued efforts today.

BRIERTY: Thank you very much.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com