Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon Grows to 5,432 Acres: Evacuation Warnings Spread to Riverside County
An Airport Fire, which is a fast-spreading wildfire, has burned more than 5,432 acres in Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, as of Monday night, September 9, 2024. The fire initially broke out near a site used by a radio-control flying club and spread over rough terrain, prompting evacuation warnings throughout Orange County and in neighboring Riverside County. Authorities have traced the origin of the fire to an unintended spark caused by heavy equipment being used by an Orange County Public Works crew earlier in the day.
The Beginnings of the Airport Fire
The fire started at around 1 pm on Trabuco Creek Road, close to the Trabuco Flyers Club, a local radio-controlled flying club. Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern confirmed, “The first crews that came into the incident described the fire initially as small, an estimated half-acre, but “soon they realized it had the potential to be something larger and more significant in terms of a major wildfire.“. Crews immediately called in backup firefighting teams from surrounding counties and districts to begin battling the rapidly expanding fire.
By 2 p.m., it had burned about 7 acres, but within hours, the fire had spread and burned over 1,900 acres. By late Monday evening, the fire had spread to more than 5,432 acres with no containment, even as over 600 firefighters battled the fire.
How the Fire Started
Deputy Chief McGovern said in a news conference Monday night that heavy equipment utilized by an Orange County Public Works crew did, in fact, accidentally start the fire. The crew was staging boulders up and down Trabuco Creek Road as barriers, blocking access to area vegetation. A spark from that heavy equipment ignited the nearby brush, sparking the major fire.
McGovern said that as soon as the crew laid down a load of boulders, they realized there was smoke coming from the loader basket of the equipment. In less than a few moments after attempting to extinguish the fire with three fire extinguishers, it quickly spread. The public works crew called 911 as the fire became uncontrolled from their grasp.
Evacuations and Warnings
By 3 p.m., officials ordered mandatory evacuations for Meander Lane, Robinson Ranch, and Shadow Rock Lane. Residents were told to leave the area immediately. Those who wanted to stay behind were asked to sign “refusal to evacuate” notices, acknowledging they were staying at their own risk and might not get subsequent aid.
Areas under evacuation warnings included Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, and Cook’s Corner, a popular biker hangout near the origin of the fire. The campgrounds at O’Neill Regional Park were also closed to the public.
Evacuation warnings continued well into Riverside County as the fire continued to push east into the Santa Ana Mountains. The warning area was east of the Orange County line, west of the 15 Freeway, and included everything between Bedford Motor Way and Ortega Highway.
Orange County Assistant Sheriff John McCulloch wants residents in zones that ordered evacuations to remember they need to keep being vigilant. “The incident can change at a moment’s notice. It’s important if you live in the area to be prepared to evacuate,” McCulloch said.
Firefighting Efforts
The rugged topography of Trabuco Canyon and the Santa Ana Mountains contributed to the heavy battle in fighting the fire. Resources used to fight the fire included engine strike teams, hand crews, bulldozers, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft. In some areas, the firefighters were able to retard the forward progress of the fire by dropping fire retardant and utilizing natural ridges as buffer zones.
But one of the biggest concerns had to be how close the fire was getting to some real critical infrastructure, including a spate of radio and television towers on Santiago Peak, which is the highest point in the Santa Ana Mountains. Air efforts from fixed-wing aircraft were able to drop fire retardants near the peak and halt further structure damage.
Two hikers were medically extracted by helicopter near Holy Jim Canyon in the early afternoon, and both were uninjured, officials said. Two firefighters received minor heat-related injuries and were sent to the hospital for treatment. A resident suffering from smoke inhalation was also transported to the hospital.
Impact on Local Communities
Communities surrounding the fire have been deeply impacted and influenced—most specifically those being under evacuation orders. Schools in the Saddleback Valley Unified School District have closely monitored this incident. By Monday evening, two elementary schools—Robinson Elementary and Trabuco Elementary—announced they would be closed on Tuesday, September 10, due to the fire. The schools also cancelled all before- and after-school activities and will not reopen until further clearance from the Orange County Fire Authority and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
Schools in the neighboring Capistrano Unified and Irvine Unified School Districts remain open at this time, although Irvine Unified spokesperson Annie Brown did say outdoor activities will be modified depending on air quality for student safety.
A number of roads leading in and out of the area have been closed. They include:
- Plano Trabuco Road and Joshua Drive
- Plano Trabuco Road and Robinson Ranch Road
- Antonio Parkway and Alas de Paz
- Trabuco Canyon Road and Trabuco Creek Road
- Santa Margarita Parkway and Antonio Parkway
By 8 p.m., authorities had also closed Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road to traffic.
As the evacuations have been in effect, local shelters have been set up to care for the displaced residents and their animals. The Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo in Rancho Santa Margarita, is acting as shelter for residents; large animals are being taken to the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa. A second animal shelter has been set up at a Ralph’s parking lot on Santa Margarita Parkway.
Community Response and Reflections
The magnitude of the fire has given residents who live nearby a sense of anxiety and uncertainty. Lizeth Juarez and Javier Campos are one set of residents in the nearby city of Lake Forest who watched the fire burn from Lake Forest Sports Park, with their dog. “We are not capable of imagining the impact that it has on nature, so it’s horrible,” Juarez said as she peered through a pair of binoculars, looking at the fire.
Brandon Smith also had plans ready if he needed to evacuate, as he’d just returned from a family vacation to Lake Havasu. “We’re going to head out on our e-bikes to go grab dinner,” Smith said, adding he and his family might leave their house if the fire continued to move in its current direction.
Other residents said they felt frustrated and scared as the fire remained so unpredictable. It was changing direction all day long,” said Sherry Fankhauser of Meander Lane. “It got really scary for a while with the fire moving across the ridge behind the water towers in Robinson Ranch,” Fankhauser said. “There’s a lot of black and brown smoke coming over the ridge, but we can’t see the flames, which makes it harder for us to see where it is in relation to us.”
Conclusion
As of last night, the Airport Fire has engulfed much of Trabuco Canyon and the Santa Ana Mountains and has been keeping residents out of their homes, as firefighters work at trying to combat the situation. So far, no structures have been destroyed by the fire, but at any rate, the fire is quite unpredictable and dangerous. The relevant authorities urge all residents to be on high alert, heed evacuation orders, and prepare for the worst as this situation unfolds.
Still, officials expect some progress toward containment with the increased number of firefighters on the scene. Containment, however, will likely be slow and laborious, going through tough terrain coupled with dry conditions, OCFA Deputy Chief TJ McGovern pointed out. Airport Fire was a reminder of nature’s strong and brutal force, along with the continuous risk of wildfires in California’s fire country.
