California’s Airport Fire explodes in size, evacuations underway

The Airport Fire erupted in the hills of Orange County, Southern California, on Monday, rapidly growing to more than 2 023 ha (5 000 acres) within just a few hours. The fire began around 13:30 local time, roughly 24 km (15 miles) east of Irvine, near an area known for remote-controlled model airplanes. The fire, which remains uncontrolled, has prompted evacuation orders for several communities.

Parts of Trabuco Canyon, located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, were ordered to evacuate, and surrounding neighborhoods were issued evacuation warnings. The fire occurred during a severe heatwave in Southern California, with temperatures reaching over 38 °C (100 °F) in many areas.

According to Cal Fire, the Airport Fire grew even larger overnight, swelling to over 3 439 ha (8 500 acres). Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern reported that the fire was believed to have been unintentionally started by a public works crew, although Cal Fire stated that the cause is still unclear and under investigation.

“The cause of the fire was a spark from heavy equipment,” said McGovern. He added that the crew was placing boulders to replace barriers restricting access to vegetation when they noticed smoke coming from the loader’s basket.

The fire spread rapidly, reaching nearly 2 225 ha (5 500 acres) within the first eight hours, moving eastward toward Riverside County.

By Tuesday morning, it remained at 0 % containment. Authorities noted that containment represents the portion of the fire’s perimeter that firefighters believe will no longer spread, either due to natural barriers or firefighting efforts.

Evacuation orders were first issued around 15:00 local time on Monday, for residents living along Meander Lane and in the Robinson Ranch community. O’Neill Regional Park’s campgrounds were also closed. Additionally, Cal Fire issued evacuation warnings for areas in Riverside County, including those east of the Orange County line, west of the 15 Freeway, south of Bedford Motor Way, and north of Ortega Highway.

Several schools were closed on Tuesday, due to the fire, including all schools in the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. The Corona Norco Unified School District also closed Wilson, Temescal Valley, and Todd elementary schools, while the Saddleback Valley Unified School District closed Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools.

Santa Margarita Catholic High School, located above the canyon where the fire started, did not hold classes on Tuesday either. The school was not under immediate threat, but officials stated, “We are taking this precaution for the safety and well-being of our community,” citing nearby evacuation notices.

Road closures were also reported in several areas of Orange County. These included intersections such as 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 at the Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, located at 22232 El Paseo, for evacuated residents. Animal shelters were also available for those needing to evacuate their pets, with one designated for large animals at the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa and another at a Ralphs parking lot at 31481 Santa Margarita Parkway.

As of Tuesday, three people have been injured — 2 firefights who sustained heat-related injuries and one civilian injured due to smoke inhalation.

Updates

06:13 UTC, September 11

According to the latest report by Cal Fire, the Airport Fire has rapidly expanded, growing from 8 510 ha (21 031 acres) to 19 028 ha (47 029 acres), now reaching Riverside County.

The fire has injured two civilians and five firefighters and is currently threatening 10 500 structures.

Currently, 126 engines, 629 firefighting personnel, eight water tenders, seven helicopters, seven hand crews, and six bulldozers have been assigned to control the blaze.

Several areas in Riverside County are under evacuation orders or warnings. Two evacuation sites and one animal shelter have been established in the county.

References:

¹ Airport fire incident update – Calfire – September 10, 2024

² Airport Fire – Calfire – Accessed on September 10, 2024

³ Wildfire Erupts in Orange County, Forcing Evacuations – New York Times – September 9, 2024

⁴ Airport Fire in Orange County, CA, Spreading Fast – Firehouse – September 10, 2024

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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