TRABUCO CANYON, Calif. (KABC) — A fire that was started by public works crews who were trying to prevent access to dangerously dry brush continued to burn in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon and expand outward into Riverside County, growing to 19,028 acres on Tuesday.
The Airport Fire started Monday afternoon in the canyon and spread quickly in hazardous weather conditions, leading to the evacuation of more than 1,400 homes and triggering responses by more than 1,000 firefighters.
The flames spread quickly, amid an intense heat wave and shifting winds that have spread fires throughout the Southland over recent days. The blaze kicked up as temperatures rose Tuesday and they rapidly moved up toward an antenna farm at Santiago Peak.
A fire that rapidly scorched more than 5,400 acres in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon was started accidentally by public works crews who were trying to prevent access to dangerously dry brush, officials say.
Fire crews were making continuous air drops, in addition to efforts on the ground, to stop the spread. Officials said the fire was burning away from Orange County communities, but added it was moving in a north-northeast direction toward Riverside County.
“It’s laid down remarkably…,” said Laurie Nowocinski of Robinson Ranch, an area under evacuation orders. “Last night, right there, was red and it was racing up the hill and it got real red over here again but they got that under control.”
Nowocinski says in the 33 years she’s lived in the area, this is the biggest fire she’s seen, and the closest to her home.
No significant property damage had been reported as of Tuesday morning.
Trabuco Canyon evacuation orders and warnings
Residents in the area north of Riverside County and San Diego County line, south of Lake Elsinore near the base of Ortega Highway to east of the Orange County and Riverside County line and west of South Main Divide Road and Grand Avenue were ordered to evacuate Tuesday afternoon.
Residents of Robinson Ranch, Trabuco Highlands, the Trabuco Highland apartment complex and Meander Lane were ordered to evacuate. Sheriff’s deputies were going door to door to issue and enforce the order.
Authorities were also advising voluntary evacuations for residents in the area of: Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Creek Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop and Cook’s Corner. On Tuesday, more evacuation warnings were issued for Caspers Regional Park and Blue Jay Campground along the Ortega Highway.
Because the fire spread so quickly Jennie Browning and her family had only short notice to pack up and evacuate.
“It was so fast yesterday. We hardly had any time” she said.
They packed up their essentials and are waiting to be cleared to return hom.
“We just scrambled. We had a packing list. We’ve done this a couple times in the past so we grabbed all the stuff we needed. It’s in the car down here at the bottom of the hill.”
Evacuation details and emergency information for the Airport Fire are available from the Orange County Sheriff here.
Nearby school districts also announced closures for Tuesday. Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools, under the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, will be closed on Tuesday, including before and after school activities. The schools are expected to reopen Wednesday, depending on the progress of the fire and firefighting efforts.
A long-term care and reception shelter was established at Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo in Rancho Santa Margarita.
A temporary evacuation site was established at the Lake Forest Sports Complex, 28000 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest.
A shelter for large animals was established at the Orange County Fair Grounds, 88 Fair Dr. in Costa Mesa.
Mission Viejo Animal Services established a meet and reunite area at the Bell Tower Community Center in Rancho Santa Margarita to help residents reunite with pets. For help with a pet, call (949)470-3045 and press 2.
The Trabuco Canyon fire was initially spreading away from homes, but voluntary evacuations were advised for residents in the area.
How did the Airport Fire start?
It started as county public works crews were trying to move boulders to prevent public access – mostly by motorcyclists – to an area of the canyon with a lot of dry vegetation that could ignite easily.
“The fire has been classified as unintentional,” said Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern.
“The cause of the fire was a spark from heavy equipment being used to replace barriers out there. Two employees from Orange County public works were utilizing heavy equipment to place large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road to restrict access into the vegetation.”
“Out Trabuco Creek road, they were moving boulders to block access to the vegetation … just doing barriers to keep people out of the vegetation because of the weather we have right now. The fuels are getting to that point. So we just don’t want a lot of people in that vegetation unnecessarily.”
As they were moving the boulders, they started seeing smoke emit from the loader basket. The workers attempted to use multiple extinguishers against the flame and called 911, he said.
The Trabuco Canyon blaze was one of multiple wildfires burning in Southern California at the tail end of an extreme heat wave that made for dangerous conditions. Winds were shifting flames in unpredictable directions while monsoonal moisture in the air was generating thunderstorms in some areas, leading to lightning strikes that had the potential to ignite new blazes.
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