By Jesus Jiménez Orlando Mayorquín and Vik Jolly Reporting from Los Angeles Heavy rain fell across a large swath of Southern California on Thursday, flooding some roadways but largely sparing the region from the severe damage that officials had warned was possible in areas recently burned by wildfires The Southern California areas scorched by flames last month had been of particular concern because the soil in those areas can repel water and allow sheets of mud to race downhill and collect debris along the way.