Evacuation Orders Lifted For Santa Clarita, Duarte Homes

SANTA CLARITA (CBSLA.com) — Evacuations were lifted Monday for homes in recent burn areas.

Evacuation notices were issued to 120 homes in the Santa Clarita area and about 180 homes in the Duarte areas in advance of the intense rainstorm that began before dawn Sunday.

In Santa Clarita, evacuations near the site of the Sand Fire – which burned more than 38,000 acres last July – were set to be lifted at 10 a.m. Monday for homes in Sand Canyon, Lost Canyon and near Placerita Canyon and the 14 Freewayf, according to the City of Santa Clarita. Residents will have to show valid ID to be allowed back into the area.

City officials urged residents to use extreme caution when driving through re-opened areas and not attempt to drive through moving water.

Sand Canyon and Placerita Canyon heading to Bear Divide and Little Tujunga Road remain closed and will remain accessible only by public safety and first responders.

Roads leading into the Val Verde area remained closed to due to mud and debris on the roadway and residents were urged to shelter in place. A flash flood watch remains in effect through 6 p.m. Monday night.

In Duarte, authorities said evacuation orders would be lifted for some 180 homes in the Fish Fire impact area at 2 p.m.

Residents will have to show ID before they will be allowed to return to their homes. Identification checkpoints will remain in place at several intersections until 10 p.m.

Cleanup operations continued on Mel Canyon Road from Brookridge Road to Royal Oaks Drive, but the city said mud and debris flows were less than those from Friday's storm.

Classes were canceled Monday at Valley View Elementary School due to the weather.

The National Weather Service as the Los Angeles area under a Flash Flood Watch through 6 p.m., indicating flooding was possible but not imminent.

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