Firefighters Monitor Burn Areas During Red Flag Warning

ANAHEIM, CA — After weeks of fire watch across California, residents continue to be rightfully concerned. Drivers on the 241-Freeway saw what they thought was smoke, which instead turned out to be dust and ash blown around by the gusting Santa Ana winds, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Wind kicked up the dust and debris from the Canyon Fire 2 burn scar area, giving the illusion of smoke on the 241, according to CHP officer Monica Posada.

"A driver reported seeing smoke and a possible fire on the north side of the 241-Freway at approximately 10 a.m.," she said.

There was no fire, only clouds of dust and ash from the burned Anaheim Hills.

The CHP has put out wind advisories for high-profile vehicles driving along the 241 Freeway and the 91 Freeway for the majority of Tuesday, Posada said.

With Santa Ana sweeping across the burn-scarred Anaheim Hills, the Orange County Fire Authority and Anaheim Fire and Rescue, in additional to other agencies across Orange County kept a vigilant eye for hot spots during Tuesday's Red Flag Alert.

Firefighters are patrolling the high-risk canyon areas due to current weather conditions of sustained winds topping 15 miles per hour and gusts in some areas reaching 40 miles per hour.

Due to recent fires, wildland firefighter patrols are monitoring burn areas for smoke, blowing ash and embers, and they will be able to respond quickly to any fire-starts.

If you smell smoke in the area of the Canyon Fire 2, it is likely due to small bits of brush that are still smoldering. The scents of burning vegetation have been stirred up by the Santa Ana winds.

Anaheim Fire units, along with OCFA, will be patrolling the area all day Tuesday until the wind event dies down.

With 9,200 acres burned, residents will smell smoke from the burn area during a wind event, according to Anaheim Fire Capt. Daron Wyatt.

"We responded to about seven calls of fires in the canyon in about 12 hours," Wyatt said. "Five of them were completely unfounded. Two were smoldering logs."

Anaheim Fire is keeping an open line of communication with residents on their social media pages. All legitimate fire concerns will be posted, according to Wyatt.

Sustained winds of 25 miles per hour were reported in the Anaheim Hills as of 11 a.m. Tuesday. Gusts in the area have reached up to 40 miles per hour.

On Monday, Anaheim Fire and Rescue responded to what was thought to be a fire caused by a semi-truck's overheated brakes on the 91-eastbound at Gypsum Canyon Road. "There was no fire, and the situation was resolved," Capt. Daron Wyatt said over Twitter.

Expect to see those big wildland firefighting trucks out and about near canyon areas all day.

"We are out to limit the delay in response times," Kurtz said. "This is standard procedure during a Red Flag weather event."

With the northern California fires, there are some hot-shot crews still out, but OCFA has plenty of wildland resources still here in Orange County to meet any issues or incidents, according to Kurtz.

In Tustin's Cowan Heights on Monday a small brush fire, less than one-quarter-acre in size, threatened two or three homes in the area, said Kurtz.

"No homes were damaged as a result of the fire, and the cause was still under investigation as of Monday evening," Kurtz said. "No individuals were displaced and no evacuations were needed."

Tustin / Cowan Heights - OCFA stopped a brush fire on the 1760 block of Loma Roja. Fire’s progress stopped. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/t82WZXTaTL
— OCFA PIO (@OCFA_PIO) October 23, 2017

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How Were OC Parks Affected By The Canyon Fire 2?

Anaheim Fire: Canyon Fire 2 Chars 9,200+ Acres, 60 Structures Burned Or Destroyed

Brush Fire photo, Beaumont Fire, October 23, Renee Schiavone Photo