Evacuation Orders Lifted For Holy Fire Burn Area Residents

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RIVERSIDE (CBSLA) — Evacuation orders were lifted Friday morning for thousands of residents in the Holy Fire burn areas in Riverside and Orange counties.

Thursday's storm was the first significant rainfall of the season, causing heavy runoff in the Cleveland National Forest that authorities feared would turn into mud and debris flows into residential areas.

In a 24-hour period ending around 10:15 p.m. Thursday, the storm had dropped 2 inches of rain in Beaumont, 1.22 inches in Temecula, .84 of an inch in Murrieta, .71 of an inch in Riverside, 1.32 inches in Corona, 1.65 inches in Idyllwild, 1.65 inches in the San Gorgonio Pass near Banning and .07 of an inch in Palm Springs, according to the National Weather Service.

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There were no reports of significant damage, although mud did get into one family's home outside of the evacuation zone. However, multiple roads were closed Thursday between Corona and Lake Elsinore because of pooling water. Thunderstorms pounded the Riverside metropolitan area at nightfall, causing roadway hazards and wrecks.

And because the evacuation orders remained in effect overnight, Luiseno Elementary School, Rice Canyon Elementary School, Withrow Elementary School, Terra Cotta Middle School and Lakeside High School remained closed Friday.