Sticker Shock: Gas Spikes 25 Cents In a Week

The average price of a gallon of self-serve regular gasoline in Orange County rose 5.7 cents Friday to $4.243 -- its highest amount since May 11 of last year -- a day after its largest daily increase since at least 2010, 8.1 cents.

The sharp increases -- Thursday's hike was 7.3 cents -- are the result of a major fire at the Cherry Point refinery near Blaine, Wash., that will cause its closure for at least three weeks and reduce the supply, Marie Montgomery of the Automobile Club of Southern California told City News Service.

“Gas prices were already jumping by two to three cents a day when on Friday one of California’s major out-of-state gas suppliers, a Washington refinery, caught fire and will be shut down for at least a few weeks,” said Auto Club spokesperson Jeffrey Spring. “That news sent prices soaring even more quickly and prices are now within 10 to 20 cents of the high point for 2011 prices reached last May.”

The price had already been increasing because of rising oil prices and the closure of some California refineries for maintenance, according to analysts.

The average price has increased 18 consecutive days and 30 times in 31 days and is 24.9 cents more than one week ago, 50.1 cents higher than a month ago and 64.1 cents greater than a year ago, according to figures from the AAA and Oil Price Information Service.

The Orange County average price is 25.4 cents more than one week ago, 50.4 cents higher than a month ago and 64.7 cents greater than a year ago. It has increased 34 of the past 36 days, rising 52.5 cents during that span.

Cheapest Gas Around OC:

Los Alamitos: $4.24 a gallon at 76, 5100 Katella Avenue

Seal Beach $4.20 a gallon at Seal Beach Mobil, 12240 Seal Beach Blvd

Fountain Valley: $3.98 a gallon at Sunshine Mobil, 17025 Brookhurst St.

Laguna Niguel: $4.16 a gallon at Laguna Niguel Mobil, 30061 Alicia Parkway

Lake Forest: $4.08 a gallon at Circle K, 22391 El Toro Rd.

Mission Viejo: $4.10 a gallon at Gregg's Mobil, 23002 Alicia Parkway

Aliso Viejo: $4.20 a gallon at Circle K, 26871 Aliso Creek Rd.

San Clemente: $4.20 a gallon at San Clemente Gas & Service, 504 Avenisa A De La Estrella

Newport Beach: $4.16 a gallon at World Oil, 3401 Newport Blvd.

Corona del Mar: $4.18 a gallon at Union 76, 2201 E Coast Highway

Rancho Santa Margarita:$4.17 a gallon at Chevron, 30832 30114 Santa Margarita Parkway

San Juan Capistrano: $4.26 a gallon at Costco,33961 Doheny Park Road

Laguna Beach: $4.34 a gallon at Laguna Mobil Mart, 104 N. Coast Hwy

-City News Service contributed to this report.