California Airport Fire Linked to Fire-Safety Work
The Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon, located in Orange County, California, has scorched more than 5,000 acres and is currently uncontained. The blaze is thought to have originated from a fire prevention crew’s activities.
The fire was first reported at 1:27 p.m. on Monday, as stated by InciWeb.
Due to dry and warm conditions, the fire spread rapidly, impacting 5,432 acres across Orange County. The Orange County Fire Authority along with the Cleveland National Forest has mobilized to combat the flames.
A video shared on X, formerly known as Twitter, captures the wildfire illuminating the mountain towers during a burn, situated approximately 71 miles southeast of Long Beach.
Line Fire: Escalating temperatures worsen California’s Line Fire, leading to evacuations: Check map
What sparked the fire?
An Orange County Public Works team working on a project aimed at preventing wildfires is suspected of inadvertently sparking the fire, as reported by the Deseret Sun, a member of the YSL News Network.
The crew was repositioning boulders to deter motorcyclists and off-road vehicles from accessing the dry brush in the canyon bordering the Cleveland National Forest.
Upon noticing smoke near one of the boulders, a supervisor and a crew member attempted to extinguish the flames using a fire extinguisher.
Growth of Line and Davis Fires
This Airport Fire coincides with ongoing firefighting efforts in California and Nevada, where other wildfires, including the Line and Davis fires, are prompting widespread evacuations.
The Line Fire, situated in Southern California, has burned over 25,813 acres and is currently 5% contained. Discovered on Thursday, this fire is located in San Bernardino County, approximately 121 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
Intensified heat conditions have heightened the fire’s activity as of Sunday night.
The Davis Fire, located south of Reno, Nevada, ignited on Saturday and has since consumed 5,000 acres, leading to school closures and evacuations for several families, as reported by the Reno Gazette Journal, part of the YSL News Network.
Approximately fourteen structures have been impacted by this fire, as indicated by InciWeb.
The fire remains uncontained.
Contributions from: Janet Wilson, Palm Springs Desert Sun; Siobhan McAndrew, Brett McGinness, Jason Hidalgo, Jaedyn Young, Reno Gazette Journal