Flood Cleanup in San Bernardino When the Hills Let Go

Why Burned Slopes Flood

According to a National Weather Service technical review, burned hillsides lose their vegetation, and the rain needed to cause flash flooding drops to roughly one-third to one-half of normal. On December 25, 2003, a stalled band of very heavy rain over the Waterman Canyon burn area produced a wall of water and mud. Elsewhere in the region that afternoon, a frontal burst dropped about 1.4 inches in an hour.

When the Risk Is Highest

The review describes a cycle after fires: mid-winter Pacific storms, spring and fall cut-off lows, and the next summer's monsoon season all pose threats, with lesser risk in later years. If a fire burned the hills above your neighborhood, expect elevated risk for more than one rainy season.

Mud, Water and What Has to Go

Floodwater is treated as contaminated. Here's what that means in practice:

1. Muck out. Mud and debris are shoveled and hauled away.
2. Strip. Carpet, pad, drywall and insulation below the waterline come out.
3. Clean. Slabs, framing and hard surfaces are washed and disinfected.
4. Dry. Dehumidifiers and air movers run until meters read dry.
5. Rebuild. Repairs begin once the structure is clean and dry.

We keep a photo record and moisture log for your claim.

Standard homeowner policies typically exclude flood, so check whether you carry a separate flood policy.

Not every flood comes from outside; a failed line can do the same job, as our San Bernardino burst pipe page explains. For everything else we do, visit our San Bernardino restoration crew.