Trabuco Canyon Fire
TRABUCO CANYON — A brush fire that broke out near the location of a radio-control flying club in an unincorporated area and spread rapidly, charring approximately 1,900 acres on Monday morning was accidentally ignited by heavy equipment being used by Orange County public works workers.
The fire was reported just before 1 p.m. in the area of Trabuco Creek Road and Holy Jim Trail, near where flames had sparked Tuesday causing a few dozen homes to be evacuated again overnight into Wednesday morning.
The fire caused officials to issue evacuation orders and warnings for Rancho Santa Margarita, though by late Monday the blaze was said to be moving away from an evacuated community.
When the initial crews arrived on scene, a Return to see run was calling in about 10-minutes later with confirmation of fire through the roadway and described it as raging vegetation fire half-to three-quarter acres around Lake Bratten, McGovern said.
By 2 p.m. after the Airport fire had torched about 7 acres, it soared to about a reached approximately 1,900.
Trabuco Flyers Club member and past board of directors Simon Turner said club Vice President was called soon after the fire was reported. He also went in person to the property, which was locked and vacant.
No one was operating the radio-controlled planes at the time.
The blaze has been deemed accidental. Heavy equipment was the source of a spark, sparking Monday’s fire in Alton —There is a danger when the operator injects something; smoke starting coming out of where their basket from there.
The operator and a supervisor tried to use several fire extinguishers, as well as the loaders, in an attempt to douse the flames while also calling 911.
By 2:45 p.m., residents in a section of the community near Rose Canyon Road; Trabuco Creek Road; and Trabuco Canyon, Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop as well as Cook’s Corner were being told to be prepared to leave.
An evac ordered was issued along Meander Lane at 3 p.m., followed by an additional order for those in the Robinson Ranch community and areas of Robinson Ranch Road and Shadow Rock Lane. The common campgrounds at O’Neill Regional Park were additionally closed.
The Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department issued an evacuation warning for the portion of Riverside County off Gilman Springs Road east to Highway 79.
The warning details an area east of the Orange County line, west of the 15 Freeway, north of Main Divide Road and south Bedford Motor Way
That fire was 1,900 acres and had zero containment as of about 7:30 p.m.
Authorities say the ridges behind Robinson Ranch acted like natural buffer zones that helped keep the fire away from the neighborhood. Radio and TV towers atop Santiago Peak had also been in the fire’s range, but that was stopped by fixed-wing aircraft laying down retardant near the peak.
I would also urge residents to remember this incident can change at any moment. If you are in the area, be ready to go if necessary and thank again our neighbors for their support and patience,” Orange County Assistant Sheriff John McCulloch said.
Sheriff’s deputies told residents under evacuation orders who stayed behind to sign a “refusal to evacuate” notice, warning the letter that it is a misdemeanor not evacuating after being forced by authorities and services may cease in the future if they decide later on vacate.
Some Orange County school districts are tracking the fire, and two elementary schools announced closures for Tuesday’s class, Sept. 10.
At about 6 p.m., road closures were put into place at intersections including: Plano Trabuco/Joshua, Plano Trabuco/Robinson Ranch Rd, Antonio Pkwy.
Plano Trabuco Road was used during the Laguna Fire as a route of escape for Porter Ranch residents in Robinson Ranch across Plano Trabuco from Windsong.
A Smart & Final parking lot was spilling over with cars and more than a dozen people lined up alongside the edge of the road, peering northward as flames streaked across a ridgeline in the distance.
But by dusk, Lizeth Juarez and Javier Campos with their dog at the Lake Forest Sports Park were sitting there to watch it burn.
From behind large binoculars, Juarez peered at a line of flames creeping northwest up the hills.
The Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo in Rancho Santa Margarita was opened as a reception shelter for evacuated residents.
Meanwhile, two shelters for animals were established at the Orange County Fair Grounds located 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa — one area to shelter large and another set up adjacent a Ralph’s parking lot at 31481 Santa Margarita Parkway.
Sherry Fankhauser, of Meander Lane said she her family had their bags ready to go on Monday.
“Nothing is permanent and everything keeps changing as time goes on,” she said. It started getting really scary for a while with the fire going over that ridge behind the water towers in Robinson Ranch.
However, at about 4 p.m., Fankhauser said the fire seemed to be traveling east down the ridge and away from homes.
This is the stage of disasters at which tells residents go door-to-door telling people to hide their propane tanks, said Fankhauser. “They said there’s a lot of black and brown smoke on the other side of the ridge but no visible flames, so that makes it more difficult for us to see where it’s at in location toward us.
Around 5:15 p.m. from the bed of his truck watching firefighters drop retardant on flames just over a ridge visible from his front yard
“Also, promise you won’t use my name but we’re going to ride our e-bikes there to get dinner,”
Communications manager Sarah Smith wasn’t in a rush to evacuate, but said if the wind blew around, she would go. Around the corner, more neighbors stood across Millstream Road watching a two-block stretch of Cove dwellings go up in flames as an Alameda County Sheriff’s deputy went door-to-door throughout the neighborhood warning residents about evacuation warnings still in place.
Engine Strike Teams, Hand Crews, Bulldozers, Helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were assigned to the fire including OCFA’s new Fire hawk helicopters.
In the afternoon, two hikers near Holy Jim Canyon who were reported to be fine and returned on their own also had to be flown out by helicopter, according to Cleveland National Forest District Ranger Darrell Vance
McGovern said two firefighters suffered minor heat-related injuries and were transported to a hospital, along with one resident who had smoke inhalation. No structures were destroyed by the fire, according to authorities on Monday.
“By the morning, I would expect to contain some percent of it a small number not large,” McGovern said.
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