Airport Fire's Cause Identified; Evacuation Warnings Spread To RivCo

For Tuesday updates on the Airport Fire, please read Patch's latest coverage here.

TRABUCO CANYON, CA — A brush fire caused by a spark from heavy machinery broke out Monday afternoon in Orange County amid scorching triple-digit temperatures, threatening homes, triggering evacuations, canceling school and filling the sky with a smoky haze.

The fire, dubbed the Airport Fire by authorities, started on Trabuco Creek Road near the remote-controlled airplane airport in Trabuco Canyon at around 1:15 p.m. Monday, the Orange County Fire Authority reported. By 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, it had blackened 8,510 acres of steep canyons and hillsides, creating a threat to Riverside County's Temescal Valley and Lake Elsinore area residents on the other side of the foothills.

RIVERSIDE COUNTY EVACUATION WARNING

As of 8 p.m. Monday, the fire was reported to be burning away from homes and toward the footprint of the 2018 Holy Fire and Riverside County line. If the fire reaches the Holy Fire burn scar, officials were hopeful it could slow the spread do the blaze.

However, late Monday night, authorities placed a wide swath of Western Riverside County on evacuation warning. According to the Orange County Sherrif's Department, residents in hillside communities from the southern border of Corona to just North of Ortega Highway and as far east as the I-15 just along northern Lake Elsinore should be prepared to evacuate if the blaze crests the mountaintop and heads eastward down the foothills.

For the most up-to-date evacuation orders and warnings, click here.

CAUSE IDENTIFIED

Orange County Fire Authority investigators found that the cause of the fire was unintentional, caused by a spark from heavy equipment being used by two Public Works employees on Trabuco Creek Road earlier that day.

The equipment was being used to replace barriers out in the area to restore a pathway, Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern said during a Monday news conference.

According to investigators, a spark from the equipment resulted in a fire that the two employees were unable to put out.

One person suffered smoke inhalation, but the Orange County Fire Authority did not have further details as of Monday night.

EXPLOSIVE SPREAD, AGGRESSIVE FIREFIGHTING BATTLE

The fire spread quickly amid bone-dry conditions, extreme heat and unfavorable terrain. At 2 p.m. Monday, the fire was estimated to be seven acres, but by 4:30 p.m., the fire had exploded to over 1,300 acres, sending a massive plume of smoke that could be seen as far as Riverside County.

Due to the fire's proximity to the Riverside County line, residents in Corona, Temescal Valley, Lake Elsinore, Wildomar, Murrieta, Menifee and Temecula were experiencing heavy smoke and bad air quality.

County and Cleveland National Forest firefighters aggressively attacked the blaze from the ground and the air with engine strike teams, hand crews, dozers, helicopters and a fixed-wing aircraft.

The agency was using new firefighting helicopters that can dump 1,000 gallons of water on the flames, OCFA Capt. Sean Doran said.

The flames were moving away from homes in Trabuco Canyon, burning uphill as of about 4 p.m., OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

ORANGE COUNTY EVACUATIONS

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, as of 4 p.m. Monday, the following neighborhoods in Orange County were under Mandatory Evacuation Orders: Robinson Ranch HOA, Trabuco Highlands HOA, Trabuco Highland Apartment Complex.

According to the Orange County Sheriff's Department, as of 4 p.m., the following neighborhoods were under Voluntary Evacuations Orders: Trabuco, Rose, Holy Jim Canyon, Plano Trabuco Shopping Center, Church, Hemmingway Court, and Walden HOA

ROAD CLOSURES

At 11:30 p.m., the Orange County Fire Authority reported the following roads closed to the public:

• Plano Trabuco and Joshua Drive
• Plano Trabuco and Robinson Ranch
• Antonio and Alas de Paz
• Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Creek
• Santa Margarita and Antonio
• Avenida Empresa and Santa Margarita Parkway
• Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road

SERVICES AND SHELTERS

Residents in need of assistance were urged to call the county's Public Information Hotline at 714-628-7085. Pet owners who require help with their animals are encouraged to contact the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center by calling 949-470-3045 and pressing 2.

A long-term evacuation point was established at the Bell Tower Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo in Rancho Santa Margarita.

A large animal shelter has been established at 88 Fair Drive in the city of Costa Mesa, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Pets can also be taken to the Orange County Animal Care Center, located at 1630 Victory Road in the City of Tustin. Residents were asked to bring photo ID, vet/vaccination records, and any special pet food or medicines.

SCHOOL CANCELED

The fire also prompted Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools to cancel classes Tuesday, according to the Saddleback Valley Unified School District's website.

Classes at Todd Elementary, Temescal Valley Elementary, and Wilson Elementary in Corona were also canceled late Monday night.

"In response to the impact of the Airport Fire on our students, staff and families, the Saddleback Valley Unified School District has declared an emergency non-instruction day for all Robinson and Trabuco Elementary School students on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2024," the district said. "As a result, all instruction, before- and after-school TLC services, and other activities at Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools will be canceled."

PARKS AND TRAILS CLOSED

As of 3 p.m., O'Neill Regional Park was closed as a result of the Airport Fire. The closure includes the park's campgrounds, according to the county, and visitors with questions about existing campsite reservations were asked to call 949-923-2260.

The county also closed trails and day use areas at Caspers Wilderness Park.

FIRES ERUPT ACROSS SOCAL

With Southern California sweltering under record heat since last week, several brush fires have exploded across the Southland.

The largest wildfires currently burning include the Line Fire, which broke out Friday night and scorched 23,000 acres by Monday afternoon in San Bernardino County. The massive forest fire forced the evacuations of the Mountain towns of Running Springs and Arrow Bear. It’s just 3 percent contained.

In San Gabriel Canyon in Los Angeles County, the 1,255-acre Bridge Fire has been burning for 24 hours with zero containment. Smaller brush fires broke out across the San Fernando Valley Monday, but were quickly contained.

On Saturday, the Roblar Fire broke out at Camp Pendleton and quickly scorched nearly 1,000 acres. By Monday afternoon firefighters had the blaze 25 percent contained.

This is a breaking story. Refresh for updates.