The rescue team donned waders and marched into a murky Malibu lagoon scorched by the Palisades fire. Their mission: Save the lives of northern tidewater gobies, a tiny endangered fish. The destructive wildfire had stripped the slopes of the nearby Santa Monica Mountains and now rain could send a tremendous amount of sediment flowing into Topanga Lagoon, a death trap for fish. … It was a seasonal population lowpoint for the species, which hunkers down in winter under rocks and vegetation. And a sandbar that had severed Topanga Lagoon from the Pacific Ocean had been swept away by high tides and an influx of water used for firefighting — an unnatural breach that could flush them into the surf. But soon after the scientists — of the trained, in-training and citizen variety — shimmied large nets that functioned as sieves into the brackish water, gleeful cries began to ring out. They hit the goby jackpot. … Within a few hours, they’d transferred 760 healthy gobies to plastic coolers, exceeding their goal of about 400.

Other wildfire articles:

• Los Angeles Times: Thunderstorms, showers possible through Tuesday in L.A.; how much rain has fallen so far?
• Los Angeles Times: For some affluent homeowners, private fire hydrants are in big demand after devastating L.A. wildfires
• Los Angeles Daily News: Burn-scar areas avoid major incidents after rain, risk of hazards continue
• Los Angeles Times: Rain and snow finally break SoCal’s relentless dryness that fueled unprecedented fires
• Public Policy Institute of California: Commentary: After the Los Angeles fires stop burning, another grave risk to lives and property loom