Trabuco Brush Fire Contained

A brush fire briefly threatened homes in Trabuco Canyon late Monday but was quickly contained by more than 100 firefighters aided by water-dumping helicopters.

By late evening, Orange County fire authorities declared that the blaze, which was reported at 3:41 p.m., was fully contained and no longer a danger to a dozen homes skirting O’Neill Regional Park northeast of Mission Viejo. As relieved homeowners looked on, fire crews continued to douse hot spots in the 38 acres charred by the flames.

During the height of the blaze, one fixed-wing aircraft borrowed from the California Department of Forestry dropped chemical fire retardants to slow the blaze, while two helicopters dumped tens of

thousands of gallons of water.

Despite their apparent victory, firefighters continued to work through the night, using chain saws, rakes and shovels to build a firebreak around the brush.

Fire officials said this year’s lack of rain and recent Santa Ana winds have dried out vegetation, making local canyons tinderboxes. On Monday, a 100-foot-wide greenbelt of fire-resistant shrubs separating buildings from brushy areas helped crews ensure that flames never reached homes, authorities said.

“The community did an outstanding job,” county Fire Authority engineer Dennis Shell said. “They had lawns, ivies and many different green plants that have a lot of moisture… . Anything that we can have that is green that we can put between the fire and the structures is a big help.”

Investigators had not determined late Monday what caused the blaze, which forced closure of some roads, including southbound El Toro Road at Valley Vista.

As firefighters worked to quell the flames, local residents gathered on nearby hills to watch. On a ridge at Chisholm Trail, Guy Thomson sipped white wine as his wife and two children watched flames shoot into the night sky.

Wife Lesli was less relaxed. “It was really scary for a moment 1/8when 3/8 the wind was whipping around,” she said.

Closer to the blaze, Debbie Fradin arrived home with her 4- and 7-year-old children as sparks showered down on her back garden.

“The embers were flying. It was terrifying,” she said.

* FIREWORKS BLAMED

Ventura County’s fire was started by fireworks, authorities say. B10