Two elementary schools in Saddleback Valley Unified are closed Tuesday, Sept. 10, due to a brush fire that broke out Monday afternoon in Trabuco Canyon.
All instruction at Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools, before and after school care, and other activities are canceled for Tuesday, the district said on its website. The two schools plan to resume normal operations on Wednesday “contingent on further guidance” from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department and the Orange County Fire Authority.
Robinson and Trabuco are two of three schools in SVUSD with addresses in Trabuco Canyon, the third being Portola Hills Elementary School, a bit northwest of the other two. A district spokesperson was not immediately available Monday evening.
According to the California Department of Education, 489 students are enrolled at Robinson and 95 at Trabuco.
Schools in nearby Capistrano Unified School District and Irvine Unified School District — on either side of Saddleback Valley Unified — plan to remain open, as of Monday evening.
IUSD spokesperson Annie Brown said the fire is causing smoke in the area but district schools “are not in danger.” Schools will adjust outdoor activities based on air quality standards to ensure student safety, she said.
Capistrano Unified, in south Orange County, does not have any plans to modify Tuesday’s school schedule, said spokesperson Ryan Burris.
“We are monitoring the fire for air quality and any impacts to schools,” he said. “We will keep our families informed if anything changes.”
Capistrano Unified is the largest school district in Orange County, with over 48,000 students enrolled. Irvine is the third-largest, with 37,952 students.
The Airport fire, which broke out Monday afternoon at about 1:30 p.m., quickly burned 1,900 acres near the site of a radio-control flying club in Trabuco Canyon as of Monday evening.
Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for areas near Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Creek Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop and Cook’s Corner, and residents along Meander Lane and in the Robinson Ranch community were also ordered to evacuate.
Staff writers Hunter Lee and Jonathan Horwitz contributed to this report.
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