A brush fire that ignited near the Trabuco Flyers Club in an unincorporated area of Trabuco Canyon burned roughly 1,900 acres on Monday, Sept. 9. The fire was unintentionally sparked by heavy equipment operated by an Orange County public works crew, according to authorities. The blaze led to evacuation orders and warnings for residents in Rancho Santa Margarita, although by late Monday, the fire was reported to be moving away from the evacuated areas.
The fire began around 1 p.m. on Trabuco Creek Road, near the 32200 block, as noted by Orange County Fire Authority Deputy Chief TJ McGovern. “When our initial crews arrived, they found a half-acre vegetation fire on both sides of the road and recognized the potential for a significant incident right from the start,” McGovern explained. “Crews quickly called for additional resources from neighboring counties and regions.”
By approximately 2 p.m., the fire had burned about 7 acres and had surged to around 1,900 acres within the following three hours.
Simon Turner, a former board member of the Trabuco Flyers Club, reported that the club's vice president received a call shortly after the fire was detected. He went to the property, which was locked and unoccupied. According to Turner, no one was flying the radio-controlled planes at the time.
Turner highlighted that the club maintains a strong partnership with local fire authorities, providing access to its parking lot and runway for staging purposes when necessary. On red flag days, the club ceases operations, ensures vegetation on the property is well-maintained, and keeps the appropriate equipment readily available, he added.
At a Monday night press conference, McGovern reported that Orange County Public Works crews began work near Trabuco Creek Road around 7 a.m. They used heavy equipment to place boulders, intended to replace barriers that had restricted access to the vegetation. “The fire is considered unintentional, caused by a spark from heavy equipment,” McGovern stated. “After depositing a load of boulders, operators noticed smoke coming from the loader’s basket.”
The operator and supervisor attempted to extinguish the fire using multiple fire extinguishers and the loaders while 911 was called. By 2:45 p.m., residents in areas including Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Creek Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop, and Cook’s Corner were under evacuation warnings. At 3 p.m., residents on Meander Lane were ordered to evacuate, followed shortly by those in the Robinson Ranch community, including Robinson Ranch Road and Shadow Rock Lane. The O’Neill Regional Park campgrounds were also closed.
Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department issued another evacuation warning for the Santa Ana Mountains in Riverside County, covering the area east of the Orange County line, west of the 15 Freeway, north of Main Divide Road, and south of Bedford Motor Way.
As of 7:30 p.m., the fire had burned 1,900 acres and was 0% contained. “The good news is that the Airport fire is moving away from Robinson Ranch,” OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi reported. Authorities credited the natural buffer zones created by the ridges behind Robinson Ranch for keeping the fire away from the neighborhood. Although radio towers, TV towers, and other infrastructure atop Santiago Peak were threatened, fixed-wing aircraft were able to drop fire retardant and mitigate the threat.
Orange County Assistant Sheriff John McCulloch emphasized the importance of preparedness: “The situation can change rapidly, so residents should be ready to evacuate. We appreciate the community’s support and patience.” Those choosing to stay in their homes despite evacuation orders were required to sign a “refusal to evacuate” notice, acknowledging the misdemeanor risk and potential lack of future resources.
School districts in Orange County were monitoring the situation, with Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools closing on Tuesday, September 10. The Saddleback Valley Unified School District announced these closures on their website, with plans to resume normal operations on Wednesday, pending further guidance. Schools in Capistrano Unified and Irvine Unified districts planned to remain open, although Irvine schools would adjust outdoor activities based on air quality.
By 6 p.m., road closures were in effect at various intersections, including Plano Trabuco Road and Joshua Drive, and Santa Margarita Parkway and Avenida Empresa. Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road were closed to traffic around 8 p.m. Vehicles attempting to access Robinson Ranch were turned away on Plano Trabuco Road. At a local Smart & Final, people watched the fire from a distance, while residents like Lizeth Juarez and Javier Campos observed the flames at Lake Forest Sports Park.
Sherry Fankhauser, a resident on Meander Lane, reported having her bags packed and ready. She noted that while the fire seemed to be moving eastward away from her neighborhood, there was still significant smoke. Brandon Smith, returning from a vacation, observed firefighters working from his front yard and said he planned to head out on e-bikes for dinner due to road closures.
Engine strike teams, hand crews, bulldozers, helicopters, and fixed-wing aircraft, including OCFA’s new Firehawk helicopters, were deployed to combat the fire. Two hikers were evacuated from Holy Jim Canyon in the afternoon without injury, while two firefighters and one resident were treated for minor injuries and smoke inhalation, respectively. As of the evening, no structures had been damaged. McGovern anticipated a small increase in containment by the following morning.
Staff photographer Jeff Gritchen contributed to this story.
Tags:
usa news