Areas at risk

Introduction

Debris flows cannot be prevented, but landslide disasters can be avoided. Landslide risk is a combination of hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. When hazard is elevated, like when the dashboard enters a medium or high risk level, decreasing exposure (by moving out of areas where landslides are likely to happen) can decrease your risk.

Places to avoid

Avoid the following locations when landslide hazard is elevated.

Existing landslides

Scars and deposits in the landscape are indicators of recent landslide activity, but old landslides or landslide material can be harder to spot.

Base of slopes

Gravity enables saturated material to flow downhill and deposit on flat areas near the base of mountains. As distance from steep hillslopes increases, landslide exposure generally decreases. landslide exposure generally decreases.

Minor drainage hollows

A drainage hollow is a concave feature of the landscape carved by water or past landslides. Minor drainage hollows may not have flowing water all of the time, like a stream, but during heavy rainfall will accommodate runoff.

Cut and fill slopes

Fill slopes are the result of human modifications to the landscape, typically for the construction of trails, roads, or buildings.