Illustrations show how fire can change the soil and landscape. Courtesy National Weather Service
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Why can rain on wildfire burn scars trigger dangerous flooding? A geologist explains
When heavy rain hits burned hillsides, it can set off dangerous floods and debris flows that can move with the speed of a freight train, picking up or destroying anything in their path. These debris flows, as parts of Colorado experienced in late July 2026, can move tons of sediment during a single storm.
