As King Fire's Flames Wane, Worries Turn To Mudslides, Other Soil Concerns

EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) — The King Fire's flames are nearly contained, but the danger for homeowners is far from over as a new problem could rear its head.

As aircraft work to put out the remaining hotspots, the Burned Area Emergency Response team is starting its assessment of potential dangers after the fire.

"The 'e' in BAER stands for emergency, so we are still in a state of emergency and we don't want the public to become complacent," said Mary Moore.

The massive fire has soil scientists like Eric Nicita getting their hands dirty, digging through burned areas to sample the soil structure and see how the fire has impacted it.

"We look for water repellency, where water beads up on soil," he said.

They examine whether the soil has lost its texture or if it will move quickly downstream during a rainstorm, putting the water supply or endangered species at risk.

For a homeowner like Doug Mudgett, the big concern is mudslides if a wet winter comes.

"Up in our area if we have a wet year, it could be 60 to 70 inches of precipitation," he said.

It could be another week before crews have an idea of the risk as they continue assessments.