Aliso Fire Breakdown, Wilderness Reopens: OCFA

ALISO VIEJO, CA — The Aliso Fire is out, but Fire Watch volunteers remain at the ready, keeping an eye out for smoke in the extensive wildland areas of Orange County. The Laguna Canyon Foundation, OC Parks, and Orange County Fire Authority remind residents that the parks may be open, but there are still closed trails and displaced wildlife in the area. And this is just the beginning of our year-round fire season.

One week ago, the "slope driven" Aliso Fire began below Soka University on a Saturday and quickly drew firefighters from across Orange County Cities, according to OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi in a recent interview.

"At the height, we had 525 personnel, and 11 air tankers and eight helicopters to keep the fire out of the homes of Aliso Viejo, Laguna Beach and away from Soka University," he said.

Read: Aliso Fire Fully Contained; 175 Acres Burned, 5 Injured

The steep and rugged terrain was inaccessible for a necessary massive ground support operation. Therefore air support was required to ensure minimal impact to the surrounding areas of Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach. The goal for all fires it to maintain under 10-acres of spread whenever possible, Concialdi said. When it's not possible, inter-agency assistance is necessary.

Now that California lives in a "year-round" fire system, all departments must work together to attend areas in need, as was seen with the Thomas Fire last fall. Orange County Fire Authority, along with the majority of departments in cities across the county, sent resources to assist with the fires driven by gusting Santa Ana winds. That same turnabout occurred in the Aliso Fire, that was "the only fire burning at the time," according to Concialdi. OCFA recently thanked the departments from Burbank, Arcadia and others who sent crews in support of the slope driven blaze.

"Orange County participates in the mass mutual aid of California," Concialdi said. OCFA sent numerous resources to the Thomas Fire in the fall, and for this fire, many engines from across Southern California

In Anaheim last fall, the Canyon Fire 1 was slope driven fire that occurred in an area that hadn't burned "in many years." The subsequent Canyon 2 happened under completely different conditions when there was significant wind, and "nothing we could do," to stay ahead of the ravaging fire that destroyed multiple Anaheim Hills homes, according to Concialdi. When winds are driving fire, "there is not much you can do" to halt the progress, he said.

Following the lessons learned in past fire events "is key to halting fire spread," according to Conicialdi.

In 1993, hundreds of homes were lost in Laguna Beach and eliminating "wood shake roofs" as well as undergrounding power lines has been the mission of that city ever since.

In 2008, the Freeway Complex Fire taught that ember intrusion was the cause of home burning.

Changing the size of mesh from "1/4-inch to 1/8-inch attic vent openings" was found to lessen further the chances of embers flying into attics, Concialdi explained.

Across Orange County, homeowners, homeowner associations, and cities are doing their part to keep defensible space and allow firefighters a chance to slow down the spread of fire in any condition.

The cause of the Aliso Fire remains under investigation by OC Parks, who is now in control of the area. Laguna Niguel Regional Park, where the command post was established to fight the blaze. The majority of the Aliso Woods parks, where the fire began and ate through hundreds of acres.

"The Laguna Niguel, Regional Park off of La Paz, reopened over the weekend," Concialdi said. "It's a gorgeous park, where our helicopter's dipped from the pond to fight the Aliso Fire."

According to Orange County Parks spokesperson, mountain bikers and hikers are asked to avoid the following trails: Nature Loop, Dripping Cave, and Coyote Run south of Rock-It.

While you are out enjoying the parks, you may see more wildlife and creatures, displaced during the fire, in your neighborhoods, and near your homes.

Please don't feed them, and give the animals space, a spokesperson from the Laguna Canyon Foundation said.

"We ask that people stay off of those trails to allow the natural growth to return," he said. "Residents will see dust at times, especially when the wind picks up. The fire is completely out."

The fire watchers are out on trails, as well as multiple cameras aimed at those spaces watching for column's of smoke.

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This enables firefighters to pinpoint difficult to locate areas and respond quickly. Lessons learned, once again.

Hikers and mountain bikers in the Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness areas are asked to respect the closure notices for your safety as well as to allow the natural habitat's recovery.

Photo, courtesy Laguna Canyon Foundation