Oak Glen mudslide buries bridges, traps residents after thunderstorms
Garrett Hottle
OAK GLEN, Calif. (KESQ) Terry Drung, Lisa Watkins, and Mr. Gomez all say the same thing: a simple storm turned their lives upside down.
After Thursday night’s thunderstorms, a ferocious mudflow crashed down the hillsides over the El Dorado burn scar, burying a bridge outside their neighborhood under nearly 10 feet of mud and cutting off escape routes.
Video shared with News Channel Three shows massive logs, boulders, even propane tanks hurtling down with the mud.
“That’s ten feet of mud… boulders, tons of them. We even had a propane tank come down,” said Terry Drung, who guided crews and cameras through the aftermath.
From across a debris-filled canyon, Lisa Watkins, trapped in her home, spoke with News Channel Three via FaceTime. She described being safe but completely cut off. “It’s kind of a weird feeling to not be able to leave… it’s a little claustrophobic. But we’re good up here — the house is safe, we’ve got food and power,” she said.
Even visitors weren’t spared. Mr. Gomez, nearby, said he came expecting a quiet visit but instead found chaos. “We went from just having a good time talking to walking out here to oh my God, look at the bridge. And then this, what you see in front of you,” Mr. Gomez said.
Authorities have issued Evacuation Warnings for Oak Glen and nearby communities including Forest Falls, Angelus Oaks, and Seven Oaks. The warning means there is potential danger to life and property; residents in vulnerable zones are being urged to prepare to leave. San Bernardino County Fire also maintains a Flash Flood Warning for Oak Glen in effect until 6:45 PM PDT.
Road closures remain in place: Oak Glen Road is closed from Chagall to Potato Canyon, with Highway 38 also blocked in multiple spots due to debris flows. Cleanup crews are working as fast as they can, assessing damage to infrastructure and getting emergency services to those isolated.
Forecasters say skies should stay mostly clear through Saturday, but another round of storms is likely Sunday. Experts warn that loose soil and burn-scar conditions make the area particularly susceptible to new mudslides with even minimal rainfall.
For residents like Terry Drung and Lisa Watkins, the concern now is not just recovery it’s simply waiting and watching the skies, ready if the next storm becomes the next fastball.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more information as it comes in.