INLAND EMPIRE – (INT) – Timely evacuations saved the day as drenching rains unleashed flash flooding and debris flows that coursed through neighborhoods and streets below the Holy Fire burn zone north of Lake Elsinore Thursday.

All evacuation orders were lifted at 7am Friday.

Rice Canyon and adjacent canyons appeared to be hardest hit. Torrents of muddy water rushed through flood control channels and local streets sweeping away trees, rocks, fences and anything that wasn’t fastened down. But at last report, there had been no injuries. Damage to homes and buildings was minor.

Road closures in the Temescal Valley and Lake Elsinore areas are:

· Temescal Canyon Rd, between Horsethief Canyon Rd and Indian Truck Trail

· Bosley Ln at Colt

· Hostetler Rd from Bolo Ct to Temescal Canyon Rd

· Grand Ave between Machado and Amorose

There were several reports of flooded streets. High water closed some roads in the Chino area and in Victorville. There were reports of two people and a dog being safely rescued from the rushing Santa Ana River near the Riverside-Rialto city limits.

Four hours of steady, wind-blown rain was sometimes heavy. Los Angeles reported a rainfall record for December 6th. For many areas of Southern California, the storm was the wettest since January 2017.

Snow was welcomed at the mountain ski resorts, but it closed Interstate 5 across the Grapevine for about 6-hours.

Heavy wet snow brought down tree branches and power lines in Big Bear leaving a portion of the mountain resort without power.

Mudflows were also an issue on the Pacific Coast Highway through Malibu where the Woolsey fire burned.

Burbank police reported the death of one person involved in a collision on Interstate 5 south of Hollywood Way.

A flooded roadway in Encino prompted Los Angeles firefighters to rescue several stranded motorists that were trapped in 2 feet of water, the Los Angeles Times reported.

A Southwest Airlines plane skidded off a wet runway Thursday at Hollywood Burbank Airport. No injuries were reported.

In Orange County, a social media post showed cars submerged on a street in Costa Mesa.

Thursday’s rain was the climax to a 2-part winter storm that began Wednesday and was the fourth to hit the Inland Empire this fall. It has given way to clearing skies and sunny, warmer weather.

Story Date: December 7, 2018