Evacuation order issued for parts of San Bernardino County due to potential flooding
SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. - An evacuation order was issued Thursday for parts of San Bernardino County due to potential flash flooding.
The neighborhoods impacted are Mountain Home Village, northeast Yucaipa and Oak Glen. The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department says these areas are of high concern for flooding due to the El Dorado and Apple Fire burn scar.
The sheriff’s office has released the following evacuation routes.
- Community of Oak Glen - the evacuation route is west or south on Oak Glen Road.
- Northeast Yucaipa, east of Bryant Street and north of Date Avenue - the evacuation route is north on Bryant Street or west Oak Glen Road.
- Community of Mountain Home Village - the evacuation route is west on State Hwy 38.
Drivers are urged to use SR-18 or SR-330 if they plan on traveling to the mountains. SR-38 is under debris flow watch from the El Dorado Fire, according to Caltrans. They say the best thing people can do is travel after the storm is over.
Residents living in affected areas are encouraged to be prepared to evacuate at any given time. Heavy rainfall is expected to hit late Thursday evening and into Friday with rain levels at the 6,000-foot level.
The county is offering free sandbags to residents who may experience flooding. The county fire department says properly placed sandbags can help redirect water, mud and debris away from homes.
"Bags should be filled with heavy-bodied or sandy soil, avoid fine sand and rocky soils. They should be filled one-half to two-thirds full and in most instances be left untied. This allows the sand inside the sandbag to move and mold with the ground or other sandbags when they are laid on top of each other, preventing gaps where water can seep through," the fire department wrote online.
County fire department stations offer free sandbags, however supplies are limited.
To find the closest sandbag location and information on storm preparation visit sbcfire.org
RELATED: OC residents living near burn scar areas prepare for potential mudslides
The sheriff’s department says the Red Cross will be available virtually during the evacuation warning and available at 571-595-7771. Those who need to evacuate with large animals can visit the Devore Animal Shelter at 19777 Shelter Way in San Bernardino.
As rain and snow continue to hit Southern California a flash flood watch is in effect till Thursday night for parts of Los Angeles and Orange counties as well, mainly the areas impacted by the recent wildfires.
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