The charred soil left by the wildfires could create conditions ripe for mudslides because the rain, which will last into Monday, will just run off, forecasters said.

Rain falling on Southern California is expected to aid firefighters mopping up multiple wildfires. But potentially heavy downpours on charred hillsides could bring new troubles such as toxic ash runoff.

A slow-moving low-pressure system will linger over the Southwest, bringing steady rain through at least Monday.

Weekend rains could bring some relief to Southern California. Here's the forecast and an assessment of how much it will help reduce fire risk.

Rain eased on Monday after Southern California's first significant storm of the season brought weekend downpours that aided firefighters but caused ash, mud and debris to flow across streets in wildfire burn areas.

Southern California’s first rainy weekend of the winter has arrived. The rain event, months in the making, brought steady storms across the region as the Southland experiences drought conditions. The mostly welcome rain began Saturday night and is expected to sustain until Monday evening.

With parts of Los Angeles County still smoldering from wildfires, the expected rain this weekend would seem like a welcome relief. But how the rain falls could make the difference between a disaster respite or a disaster repeat.

Rain was falling across Southern California on Sunday, bringing some relief to thousands of firefighters battling multiple major blazes for nearly a month in the Los Angeles area, but also prompting new threats of floods and mudslides across burn-scarred lands.

Much-needed rain has begun to fall over Southern California, bringing relief to the drought-stricken region but also the threat of toxic runoff.