The event brought together dozens of families from across the country for an awareness walk, an auction and a rubber ducky race in a nearby creek.

"Now we've got a little pen torch, just in case, whereas the old pitmen's lamps used to have a little bulb, but if your battery fused you were up the creek really."

The Los Angeles County Public Health Department issued an advisory Wednesday afternoon, asking residents to avoid all beaches and water, particularly storm drains, creeks, and rivers because of potentially higher bacteria levels in these areas.

A few roads could be closed due to floods, and creeks and rivers will swell and strengthen.

As rainfall rates approach 1 inch per hour, flooding can be triggered anywhere, especially on roads and in small creeks, Kittell said.