When it rains it floods

Rain floods creek forcing evacuation

A storm cell passing over the mountains and into the High Desert Tuesday dumped heavy rain into Mill Creek, and rising waters forced sheriff's officials to order hikers to evacuate.

About 2:30 p.m., a sheriff's helicopter swooped overhead along Highway 38 and warned hikers to clear out, said Sgt. Vince Clancy of the sheriff's aviation division.

Sheriff's deputies and firefighters also walked the stretch of creek and issued the same alert.

"They reported that there was a significant weather event which made the creek rise and get pretty heavy and muddy flows, so they were advising that people stay on the north side of the creek,' said Pam Bierce, a spokeswoman for the ranger district that spans the San Gorgonio Wilderness, from Forest Falls to Lytle Creek.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning in the San Bernardino Mountains from 10 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Forecasters predicted that moist, unstable air in an easterly flow would produce thunderstorms and flash flood danger over the mountains and in the High Desert.