3 rescued from vehicle during Arizona flash flood

TUCSON, Ariz. — Crews rescued three people from a vehicle in a runoff-swollen wash on the outskirts of metro Tucson on Tuesday as monsoon thunderstorms caused scattered flash flooding in southeastern Arizona.

Personnel from the Golder Ranch and Northwest fire districts safely extricated the people stuck in the chest-high water, the Golder Ranch district said.

A second vehicle’s driver also stranded in the Canada Del Oro Wash was able to get out without assistance, the district said on Twitter.

Also, the Tucson Fire Department said its personnel, working along with those of the two fire districts, pulled two people out of a flowing wash. Both were uninjured after floating downstream more than a half-mile, the department said. It wasn’t clear how those people got in the water.

The National Weather Service issued multiple flash flood warnings and advisories in the region.

Up to 3 inches of rain fell in the Santa Catalina Mountains overlooking Tucson while up to 1 inch of rain fell in less than a half-hour in Graham County, the weather service said.

Forecasters warned that runoff from wildfire burn scars could trigger mudslides and produce flows carrying debris through normally dry washes.