The fast moving Airport fire, which broke out in Trabuco Canyon near Rancho Santa Margarita Monday afternoon, Sept. 9, swelled to more than 8,500 acres overnight, according to Cal Fire.
The blaze was believed to have been set unintentionally by heavy equipment from an Orange County public works crew while placing boulders meant to replace barriers to restrict access to vegetation. It was first reported just before 1:30 p.m. in the 32200 block of Trabuco Creek Road, Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern said.
“The cause of the fire was a spark from heavy equipment,” McGovern said on Monday. “After placing a load of boulders, the operators began seeing smoke coming from the area of the loader’s basket.”
In eight hours, the blaze exploded to nearly 5,500 acres with no containment, burning east toward Riverside County. Evacuation orders and warnings were issued.
Tuesday morning, the fire was still 0% contained. Containment is the percentage of the blaze’s perimeter that officials believe won’t be expanded by flames, stopped either by natural barriers, such as rocks or a water body, or by firefighters’ work.
Evacuation orders were issued around 3 p.m. Monday for residents along Meander Lane and in the Robinson Ranch community. O’Neill Regional Park’s campgrounds were also closed.
Evacuation warnings were issued by Cal Fire for an area in the Santa Anta Mountains in Riverside County east of the fire: The warning was for an area east of the Orange County line, west of the 15 Freeway, south of Bedford Motor Way and north of Ortega Highway.
Some school districts closed schools Tuesday with the fire burning, including all schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District, officials said. The Corona Norco Unified School District closed Wilson, Temescal Valley and Todd elementary schools, while the Saddleback Valley Unified School District closed Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools.
Road closures in Orange County included: Plano Trabuco Road and Joshua Drive, Plano Trabuco Road and Robinson Ranch Road, Antonio Parkway and Alas de Paz, Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Creek roads, Santa Margarita and Antonio parkways, Avenida Empresa and Santa Margarita Parkway and Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road.
A shelter was set up for evacuated residents at the Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo, in Rancho Santa Margarita.
Animal shelters were also available, one for large animals at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa, and the other in a Ralphs parking lot, at 31481 Santa Margarita Parkway.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
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