What's Behind The Name "Airport Fire"?

The Airport Fire was a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California in September and October 2024. It was called the Airport Fire because it started near the Trabuco Flyers Club, a radio-remote-controlled aviation club. The fire destroyed 160 structures in Orange and Riverside counties and caused 21 non-fatal injuries. It was accidentally ignited by Orange County Public Works employees conducting fire prevention measures in the unincorporated community of Trabuco Canyon.

The fire was started by public works crews

The Airport Fire, which started in Trabuco Canyon, Orange County, was sparked by public works crews. The fire began on Monday, September 9, 2024, around 1 pm and quickly spread, scorching over 5,400 acres and leading to the evacuation of more than 1,400 homes. The fire was started accidentally by county public works crews who were trying to prevent access to dangerously dry brush in the canyon. The crews were moving boulders to block off roads and prevent motorcyclists and off-road vehicles from entering the area due to the high fire risk.

The Orange County Fire Authority classified the fire as "unintentional," with the cause being a spark from the heavy equipment being used to replace barriers. Two employees from the Orange County public works team were using heavy machinery to place large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road to restrict access to the dry vegetation. After placing a load of boulders, the operators noticed smoke coming from the loader's basket and called 911. They attempted to extinguish the fire using multiple fire extinguishers and loaders, but the flames spread rapidly amid intense heat and shifting winds.

The blaze spread towards the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and eastward into the Santa Ana Mountains, where it crossed over Santiago Peak into Riverside County. The fire forced mandatory evacuations and threatened thousands of structures in both Orange and Riverside Counties. The Airport Fire burned for 26 days and was contained on October 5, 2024. It ultimately destroyed 160 structures and caused 21 non-fatal injuries.

It was classified as unintentional

The Airport Fire was classified as unintentional by the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). The fire was sparked by Orange County Public Works employees who were conducting fire prevention measures.

On September 9, 2024, two public works employees were using heavy equipment to place large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road, restricting access to a dry brush area of the canyon with a high fire risk. This area was near the Trabuco Flyers Club, a radio-remote-controlled aviation club that the fire was named for. While placing a load of boulders, the employees noticed smoke coming from the loader basket of their vehicle. They called 911 and tried to put out the fire using multiple extinguishers, but their efforts were unsuccessful.

The fire started around 1 p.m. and quickly spread in hazardous weather conditions, including an intense heatwave and shifting winds. By 10 p.m., the fire had burned approximately 5,432 acres. It ultimately destroyed 160 structures and damaged 34 more, with a total of 21 non-fatal injuries reported.

The OCFA's Engine 18 was the first to arrive at the scene, but they were unable to prevent the fire from spreading upslope. The fire burned for 26 days and was fully contained by October 5, 2024. During the fire, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory and rated the air quality as "hazardous."

It burned 23,526 acres

The Airport Fire burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California in September and October 2024. The wildfire was accidentally sparked by Orange County Public Works employees who were conducting fire prevention measures in the unincorporated community of Trabuco Canyon.

The fire began around 1:00 p.m. on September 9, 2024, when two employees were placing large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road to prevent the public, primarily motorcyclists, from accessing a dry brush area of the canyon with a high fire risk. The employees noticed smoke coming from their vehicle's loader basket, called 911, and tried to put out the fire using extinguishers. However, their efforts were unsuccessful, and the fire quickly spread due to hazardous weather conditions, including an intense heatwave and shifting winds.

By 10:00 p.m. on the first day, the fire had burned approximately 5,432 acres. Over time, it expanded into Riverside County, growing to 19,028 acres on September 10 and threatening over 10,000 structures in both Orange and Riverside Counties. On September 12, authorities lifted the mandatory evacuations in Rancho Santa Margarita, the closest city to the fire's origin point, and residents were allowed to return home.

The Airport 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 destroyed 160 structures, damaged 34 more, and caused 21 non-fatal injuries. It also produced a large pyrocumulus cloud, worsening the air quality in the immediate area and nearby population centers.

The fire was finally contained on October 5, 2024, and by October 6, 2024, it had burned a total of 23,526 acres.

It forced mandatory evacuations

The Airport Fire forced mandatory evacuations in various Southern California communities, particularly in Lake Elsinore and along Ortega Highway. The fire destroyed 160 structures in Orange and Riverside counties and caused 21 non-fatal injuries. At its peak, 20,780 structures were threatened by the fire.

On September 9, 2024, the first day of the fire, the Orange County Sheriff's Department enforced mandatory evacuation orders in the Robinson Ranch and Trabuco Highlands neighbourhoods of Rancho Santa Margarita, the closest city to the fire's origin point. The blaze had grown from 1,900 acres to 19,028 acres by September 10, spreading into Riverside County and threatening over 10,000 structures in both counties. This prompted new evacuation orders for 45 rural zones in the eastern Santa Ana foothills near Lake Elsinore and Temescal Valley.

The mandatory evacuations in Rancho Santa Margarita were lifted on September 12, but new orders were put in place along the Orange County portion of Ortega Highway the same day. On September 13, Cal Fire Riverside reduced the county's mandatory evacuation area to 14 zones.

The fire forced thousands of tense residents on both sides of the Santa Ana Mountains in Orange and Riverside Counties to evacuate or prepare to do so, as they gazed awestruck at billowing, smoky clouds of ash and flame. The blaze was racing down the forest's steep eastern flanks into Riverside County and authorities issued an expanding blanket of evacuations and road closures.

The fast-moving fire also caused significant travel headaches for commuters, as Ortega Highway, a critical but twisting route between Riverside and Orange counties, was closed from Grand Avenue to Nichols Institute. Caspers Regional Park and Blue Jay Campground were also evacuated and closed.

It caused 21 non-fatal injuries

The Airport Fire was a wildfire that burned 23,526 acres in the Santa Ana Mountains in Southern California in September and October 2024. It was ignited by Orange County Public Works employees who were conducting fire prevention measures in the unincorporated community of Trabuco Canyon. The fire spread towards the city of Rancho Santa Margarita and eastward into the Santa Ana Mountains, eventually crossing over the ridge of Santiago Peak into Riverside County.

The Airport Fire caused 21 non-fatal injuries, including two civilian injuries and 19 firefighter injuries. No deaths were reported. The injuries were mostly caused by heat-related issues. Two firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries, and a third person was treated for breathing difficulties related to smoke inhalation. In addition, two hikers were rescued from a trail near where the fire broke out, and two people at the scene were treated for smoke inhalation.

The fire also 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 fast-moving and rapidly growing fire led to the evacuation of more than 1,400 homes and triggered a response from more than 1,000 firefighters. The fire threatened 20,780 structures and destroyed 160, with 34 additional structures damaged.

The Airport Fire was classified as "unintentional" by the Orange County Fire Authority, as it was accidentally started by sparks from heavy equipment being used by public works crews. Despite the best efforts of the workers and firefighters, the fire spread quickly due to hazardous weather conditions, including an intense heatwave and shifting winds.

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