Mudslide Sweeps Jeep Hundreds Of Feet Into Creek Bed In Forest Falls

A powerful mudslide swept a Jeep Wrangler hundreds of feet into a creek bed in Forest Falls Thursday afternoon, trapping its occupants and complicating rescue efforts as severe thunderstorms battered the San Bernardino Mountains.

On September 24, 2026, monsoonal moisture brought torrential rain, hail and lightning to the mountain communities, triggering a large mudslide near Valley of the Falls Drive and Torrey Pines Road.

Around 4:30 p.m., firefighters responded to reports of a Jeep that had been swept away by the mudslide, with people reportedly trapped.

The force of the mudslide carried the Jeep hundreds of feet down into the Snow Creek riverbed.

California Highway Patrol officers responding to the incident also became stuck in the mud. Despite the difficult conditions, officers were able to reach the stranded occupants on foot.

All trapped occupants were successfully rescued. Their conditions were not immediately available.

At the same time, U.S. Forest Service crews were battling a separate lightning-caused fire farther up the mountainside in a large drainage area.

County road crews were working to clear the mudslide from the roadway, and a heavy-duty tow truck was requested to recover the Jeep from the creek bed.

The extent of the roadway damage and the timeline for reopening were not immediately known.