
The Airport Fire was a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California in September and October 2024. The fire began in Trabuco Canyon, threatening 20,780 structures and causing 21 non-fatal injuries. The blaze forced evacuations in Orange and Riverside counties as crews worked to control the rapidly spreading fire. The Airport Fire burned concurrently with the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County, creating a combined cloud over the Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions of Southern California.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Trabuco Canyon, Santa Ana Mountains, Southern California |
| Date | September and October 2024 |
| Affected areas | Orange County, Riverside County, Rancho Santa Margarita, Lake Elsinore, Ortega Highway, Silverado Canyon, Modjeska Canyon |
| Cause | Accidental, unintentional use of heavy equipment by Orange County Public Works employees |
| Size | 23,526 acres burned |
| Containment | 100% contained |
| Structures threatened | 20,780 |
| Structures destroyed | 160 |
| Structures damaged | 34 |
| Injuries | 21 non-fatal injuries (2 civilians, 19 firefighters) |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Evacuations | Mandatory evacuations in various Southern California communities, including Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway; temporary evacuation point at Lake Forest Sports Complex |
| Agencies involved | CAL FIRE, US Forest Service, Orange County Sheriff Department, California Highway Patrol, CAL OES, Orange County Public Works, Riverside County Sheriff Department, Southern California Edison |
| Weather conditions | Intense heatwave; favourable weather (thick fog, high humidity, cooler temperatures, light rain) expected to aid in containment efforts |
Explore related products
What You'll Learn
- The fire burned 23,526 acres and was 100% contained as of October 6, 2024
- It destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34
- There were 21 non-fatal injuries reported
- The fire was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees
- It forced mandatory evacuations in various Southern California communities

The fire burned 23,526 acres and was 100% contained as of October 6, 2024
The Airport Fire was a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California in September and October 2024. The fire was 100% contained as of October 6, 2024, at 8:03 AM.
The fire began around 1:00 p.m. on September 9 in Trabuco Canyon, near the Trabuco Flyers Club, a radio-remote-controlled aviation club that the fire was named for. The fire was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees conducting fire prevention measures in the area. It spread towards the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and eastward into the Santa Ana Mountains, crossing over the ridge of Santiago Peak into Riverside County.
The Airport Fire threatened 20,780 structures, destroyed 160, and damaged 34. There were 2 civilian injuries and 20 firefighter injuries reported, with no fatalities. The fire forced mandatory evacuation orders in various Southern California communities, particularly in Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway, where many structures were damaged or destroyed.
The fire burned concurrently with the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County, creating a combined cloud that worsened the air quality in the Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions of Southern California. The smoke from the fires even reached as far as Las Vegas, causing flight delays at Harry Reid International Airport.
Morocco's Airports: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$4.95 $14.95

It destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34
The Airport Fire, a wildfire that began in Trabuco Canyon, Southern California, on September 9, 2024, destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34. The fire was ignited accidentally by Orange County Public Works employees conducting fire prevention measures in the Trabuco Canyon community. It spread towards the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and eastward into the Santa Ana Mountains, threatening 20,780 structures at its peak.
The fast-moving fire grew to over 10,000 acres by the afternoon of September 10, and mandatory evacuation orders were enforced in various Southern California communities, particularly in Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway, where many structures were damaged or destroyed. The fire burned a total of 23,526 acres and was 100% contained by October 6, 2024.
The damage assessment was challenging in the initial days of the fire due to unsafe conditions inside the burn zone. However, damage assessment teams were deployed to evaluate the extent of structural damage, and their efforts continued as they gained access to previously unsafe areas. The fire destroyed 160 structures, including over 100 homes, and damaged 34 others.
The Airport Fire caused significant disruption and forced entire communities to flee. It resulted in 21 non-fatal injuries, including two civilians and 19 firefighters, with no reported fatalities. The fire's impact on both residential and commercial structures led to the activation of a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure the availability of vital resources for suppression efforts.
Cancun Airport: Uber Service Availability and Alternatives
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$19.99 $34.99
$69.99 $139.99
$54.99 $99.99

There were 21 non-fatal injuries reported
The Airport Fire, a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California, resulted in 21 non-fatal injuries. The fire, which began on September 9, 2024, in Trabuco Canyon, threatened 20,780 structures and caused widespread evacuations.
Two civilians and twenty firefighters were injured in the blaze, with no fatalities reported. The injuries sustained by the firefighters occurred in a vehicle rollover crash on the way back from their shift. The driver swerved to avoid a ladder in the road, causing the truck to hit a guard rail and flip over. Six of the firefighters sustained serious injuries, ranging from stable to critical, while the other two had minor injuries.
The fire started accidentally by Orange County Public Works employees carrying out fire prevention measures. It spread towards Rancho Santa Margarita and the Santa Ana Mountains, eventually reaching Riverside County. The blaze grew rapidly, expanding from 1,900 acres to 19,028 acres in a single day. This swift expansion led to mandatory evacuation orders for communities in Southern California, particularly in Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway, where numerous structures were damaged or destroyed.
The fire burned concurrently with the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles County, creating a combined cloud that affected the Greater Los Angeles and Inland Empire regions. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory, rating the air quality as "hazardous". The blaze destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34 others, with ongoing repair and recovery efforts taking place in the affected areas.
Ottawa's Airport: A Guide to Flying In and Out
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$79.99 $179.99
$99.99 $139.99

The fire was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees
The Airport Fire, a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California, was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees. The fire began on September 9, 2024, around 1:00 p.m. near Rose Canyon Road and Trabuco Canyon Road in the unincorporated community of Trabuco Canyon. Trabuco Canyon is about two miles from the Forest Service's Trabuco fire station, which was not staffed by Forest Service firefighters or fire engines at the time of the fire. Instead, it was staffed by a fire engine belonging to the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA).
On the first day of the fire, it burned 1,900 acres and spread to 19,028 acres by the second day, threatening over 10,000 structures in Orange and Riverside counties. The Orange County Sheriff's Department enforced mandatory evacuation orders in the Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands neighborhoods of Rancho Santa Margarita, the closest city to the fire's origin point. Voluntary evacuation warnings were also issued for several Trabuco Canyon neighborhoods north of the origin point.
The Airport Fire forced mandatory evacuations in various Southern California communities, particularly in Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway, where numerous structures were damaged or destroyed. The fire also produced a large pyrocumulus cloud, worsening the air quality in the immediate area and nearby population centers in Orange and Riverside counties. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory and rated the air quality as "hazardous."
SFO Airport: Official SSID Explained
You may want to see also
Explore related products
$22.99 $25.99

It forced mandatory evacuations in various Southern California communities
The Airport Fire, a wildfire that broke out in Southern California in September 2024, forced mandatory evacuation orders in various communities. The fire began in Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, and spread eastward into Riverside County.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for the Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands neighbourhoods of Rancho Santa Margarita, the closest city to the fire's origin point. The Orange County Sheriff's Department also issued voluntary evacuation warnings for several Trabuco Canyon neighbourhoods north of the origin point. As the fire spread, new evacuation orders were put in place for 45 rural zones in the eastern Santa Ana foothills near Lake Elsinore and Temescal Valley.
The Orange County Sheriff's Department encouraged residents living along several roads, including Rose Canyon Road and Trabuco Canyon Road, to evacuate. The Highlands apartment complex was also under mandatory evacuation orders. A long-term shelter was established in Rancho Santa Margarita, and large animals could be taken to the Orange County Fairgrounds in Costa Mesa.
By 2 p.m. on Tuesday, September 9, authorities had expanded mandatory evacuation orders to include homes in Riverside County as the rapidly moving fire began to creep towards Lake Elsinore. The fire had threatened 20,780 structures and destroyed 160. It injured 13 people and scorched more than 23,000 acres.
Replacing Apple Airport Extreme: A Comprehensive Guide
You may want to see also
Frequently asked questions
The Airport Fire started in Trabuco Canyon, near the Trabuco Flyers Club, a radio-remote-controlled aviation club.
The fire was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees conducting fire prevention measures.
The Airport Fire burned 23,526 acres.
Yes, 160 structures were destroyed, and 34 were damaged.
There were 2 civilian injuries and 20 firefighter injuries reported, with no fatalities.




























