A Forest Service employee had a close call during Thursday’s flash flooding in Grand County, leading to an evacuation via helicopter.

According to Forest Service officials, the employee was assessing one of the closed roads, Forest Service Road 112, in the East Troublesome burn area.

Conditions quickly turned, bringing a localized storm with rapid and intense rain to the Cabin Creek drainage. The ensuing mudflow partially buried the employee’s parked vehicle and trapped the employee behind a washed-out road.

The employee, who was not in the vehicle at the time, was unharmed and safely evacuated by helicopter.

Forest officials warned that the incident is a stark reminder of how volatile and hazardous burned areas can be and how even the most experienced outdoors enthusiasts can be caught off guard by flooding in burned areas.

The current monsoon pattern has brought dangerous conditions to parts of Colorado that are near and downstream of burned areas. Debris flows can travel well outside of the area of heaviest rainfall.

The public should keep a close eye on weather forecasts and sign up for alerts. Follow the National Weather Service Denver/Boulder for up to date weather information, go to http://www.GCEmergency.com to register for CodeRED emergency notifications, and check for current road closures at http://www.cotrip.org.