An uncontained wildfire that has burned through more than 22,000 acres has been traced back to a California work crew.
According to Cal Fire, the Airport Fire erupted Monday afternoon and is now scorching parts of Orange and Riverside counties.
Evacuation orders have been issued across the counties, and the public is now barred from entering the burn zone.
Cal Fire said more than 629 firefighters are currently working around the perimeter of the fire to establish some sort of containment. Helicopters and air tankers continue to assist the men and women fighting the blaze on the ground.
In addition 126 engines, six dozers and eight water tenders are deployed in the fight.
Local authorities are petitioning for more equipment and men, but multiple fires across the region have tapped nearly every resource available.
The fire remains uncontained.
According to KABC-TV, officials admitted the cause of the fire the same day it started.
Ironically, those responsible for sparking the fire were there to prevent one.
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“The cause of the fire was a spark from heavy equipment being used to replace barriers out there. Two employees from Orange County public works were utilizing heavy equipment to place large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road to restrict access into the vegetation,” Orange County Fire Authority Deputy TJ McGovern told KABC.
“Out Trabuco Creek road, they were moving boulders to block access to the vegetation,” McGovern said. “Just doing barriers to keep people out of the vegetation because of the weather we have right now.
“The fuels are getting to that point. So we just don’t want a lot of people in that vegetation unnecessarily.”
The crew first noticed something wrong as they were moving boulders when smoke began rising out of a loader basket.
Attempts to put the blaze out with fire extinguishers failed, forcing the crew to call 911. Windy weather and dry conditions made the situation worse before first responders could arrive, fanning the smoldering tinder to a full-fledged wildfire.
Hours after the initial ignition, the fire was burning across some 5,400 acres.
Pictures and videos of the wildfire show the frightening scale of a blaze that began as a spark in a work zone.
As we continue to defend the communities affected by the #AirportFire, we would like to say thank you for your support and strength during this time. pic.twitter.com/HwbRbZ6ib8
— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) September 11, 2024
#AirportFire takes over the majority of saddleback, these camera images are actually mind blowing, flames literally feet away from the camera pic.twitter.com/3Kl5PdrvaS
— World life (@seautocure) September 10, 2024
More than 1,400 homes have been cleared under the evacuation order.
Seven injuries have been reported among civilian victims and firefighters, but thankfully there have been no deaths.
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