Residents In Holy Fire Burn Area Still On High Alert After Wet, Muddy Week

LAKE ELSINORE (CBSLA) — Most residents in the Holy Fire burn area escaped this week's heavy rain without sustaining major damage to homes, but officials are still emphasizing cautionary actions.

The Lake Elsinore area was pummeled by heavy rain, which prompted mud and debris runoffs but no reported flooding.

Many areas were equipped with Jersey barriers and sandbags for this series of storms, which dumped several inches of rain since Monday.

"I thought, 'Not again, just please stop," Elaine Swick said after a heavy round of rain threatened her home. "Thank goodness it didn't come into the house."

Mud after a storm on Dec. 6 covered her floors, cabinets and walls.

Rain from that storm resulted in significant flooding and mud flows into several neighborhoods, prompting street closures and evacuations.

A flash flood warning was issued for homes in the Holy Fire burn scar until 2:15 p.m. Thursday. Mandatory evacuation orders were downgraded to voluntary evacuation warnings for the following neighborhoods: Amorose, Alberhill, Glen Ivy A, Glen Ivy B, Glen Eden, Grace, Horsethief A, Laguna A and B, Alvarado, Maitri, McVicker A, Rice, Withrow A and Lakeside A.

Cal Fire Capt. Fernando Herrera warned residents to be on high alert.

"This is just a series of storms that will continue through the winter – we don't want anybody to let their guard down just because, again, we survived," he said.

A care and reception center was set up at Temescal Canyon High School at 28755 El Toro Rd. in Lake Elsinore to take in residents.

The Lake Elsinore Unified School District announced Thursday that Rice Canyon Elementary School and Withrow Elementary School would be closed because of the increased risk of debris flows in nearby residential areas.