Sparked by public works equipment, Airport Fire forces evacuations in Orange County

This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:

A fast-burning fire in Trabuco Canyon quickly forced mandatory evacuations of nearby homes. With a massive plume of smoke, the Airport Fire was visible over a wide area into the evening commute. Within 7½ hours the fire grew to more than 5,400 acres.

Fire officials said firefighters plan to work through the night.

Orange County Fire Authority said the fire was a sparked when OC Public Works employees were using heavy equipment replace barriers restricting access to the area with boulders to restrict access in the area.

“After placing a load of boulders, the operators began seeing smoke coming from the area of the loaders basket,” OCFA deputy chief TJ McGovern said during a news briefing Monday night. “The operator and the supervisor used multiple fire extinguishers and the loaders to attempt to extinguish the fire while 911 was being called.”

In California, humans — intentional or accidental — are responsible for 95% of wildfires fires. As our colleagues at CalMatters reported earlier this year: Last year alone, people caused more than 7,000 wildfires in California; nationally, it was more than 50,000.

See a 3D map of terrain

The basics

• Acreage: 5,436 acres as of 9:30 p.m.
• Containment: 0%
• Structures destroyed: None reported
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: 3 (heat related)
• Cause: Spark from heavy equipment

Evacuation map and orders

Evacuation orders and warnings have been issued by the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for the following areas:

• Rancho Santa Margarita
• Trabuco Canyon

Get ready for fire season. Here’s how to sign up for emergency alerts in Southern California

Evacuation shelters

For people:

• (Temporary) Lake Forest Sports Complex 28000 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest
• (Longterm) Bell Tower Regional Community Center at 22232 El Paseo, Rancho Santa Margarita. This shelter will remain open overnight.

For large animals: 88 Fair Drive in Costa Mesa (large animal shelter)

• Ralphs parking lot at 31481 Santa Margarita Parkway is where the Mission Viejo Animal Services Center is setting up an area to help evacuated residents get their pets back to them safely.

Road closures

Roads are closed at the following intersections:

• Plano Trabuco and Joshua Drive
• Plano Trabuco and Robinson Ranch
• Antonio and Alas de Paz
• Trabuco Canyon and Trabuco Creek
• Santa Margarita and Antonio
• Avenida Empresa and Santa Margarita Parkway
• Santiago Canyon Road and Live Oak Canyon Road

Where the fire started

The Airport Fire broke out at about 2 p.m. in Trabuco Canyon, along Trabuco Creek Road.

Resources to prep and cope with wildfire

Editor Megan Garvey contributed to this report.