Ortega Highway reopens after boulders fall onto road

CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST (KABC) -- The California Highway Patrol temporarily closed the Ortega Highway between Orange and Riverside counties due to falling boulders Sunday.

The closure went into effect from Caspers Park Road and Nichols Road at 10:30 a.m. Clean up crews responded to the scene and removed the debris from the highway.

According to the CHP, boulders as large as 5 feet in diameter fell into the road. The CHP was not allowing traffic west of Lake Elsinore and east of La Pata Avenue/Antonio Parkway near San Juan Capistrano.

The highway reopened at about 5:40 p.m.

State Route 74 connects Orange and Riverside counties.

CNS contributed to this report.