Mandatory Evacuations Lifted in Trabuco Canyon, Road Closures Still In Effect

Residents within the Holy Fire burn area are on high alert as heavy rains fall on Southern California, with many people facing mandatory evacuation orders. KTLA’s Megan Telles was in Trabuco Canyon, where roadways were shut down amid mudslide and flash flood concerns. Mandatory evacuation orders for the area were lifted Thursday afternoon, but road closures remained in place, Orange County sheriff’s officials said. The Orange County Sheriff’s Department issued an alert, stating that road closures are in effect at Trabuco Canyon at Rose Canyon and Trabuco Canyon at Plano Trabuco. No traffic is allowed past these road closures.

“The ground is already saturated. We’re going to get multiple inches of rain. This is going to be one of our bigger storms,” Cpt. Tony Bommarito with O.C. Fire Authority said. “It’s not going to take two inches, or even one inch, to have the possibility to create these mud and debris flows. So even a small amount of rain has the potential to create that danger.” Sandbags are available from O.C. Fire Authority stations across the county. Trabuco Canyon residents are allowed 50 sandbags each. Sandbag pick-up begins Thursday morning at 7 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m.