Fire Crews Mop Up Gibby Fire In South OC; Ortega Highway Closure In Effect

RANCHO MISSION VIEJO, CA — Orange County firefighters were working Thursday to mop up a brush fire that ignited in Rancho Mission Viejo.

The fire was reported just after 2 p.m. in the 34700 block of Ortega Highway in Rancho Mission Viejo and resulted in full lane closures on the mass-traversed roadway, police said.

The brush fire — dubbed the "Gibby Fire" was originally reported to be 450 acres, though firefighters later revised the size to 216 acres.

As of about 7:30 p.m., forward progress on the blaze was stopped at around 216 acres and all shelter-in-place orders had been lifted, although Ortega Highway remained closed from Gateway Place to Grand Avenue in Riverside County, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. As of 11:35 p.m. Wednesday, the fire was still at 0 percent containment.

On Thursday, the OCFA announced that one of its drones flew over the burn area overnight and determined the blaze actually burned 217 acres of terrain, and the blaze was 5% contained, although the flames were no longer spreading. Crews remained on the scene conducting mop-up operations, dousing any remaining hotspots, while extending the containment line around the burn area.

That containment was "expected to increase significantly" Thursday.

Crews will continue to work the fire for the next few days, according to the authority.

Shelter-in-place orders had been issued for select commercial areas threatened by the blaze and the nearby Caspers Wilderness Park was closed while firefighters battled the quick-moving flames.

Patch Staffer Anna Schier contributed to this report.

City News Service contributed to this report.