TRABUCO CANYON, Calif. (KABC) — A fire started by public works crews trying to block access to dangerously dry brush continued to burn in Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon and had spread into Riverside County, reaching 19,028 acres as of Tuesday.

The airport fire broke out in the gorge on Monday afternoon and spread rapidly due to the dangerous weather conditions, forcing the evacuation of more than 1,400 homes and drawing more than 1,000 firefighters to the scene.

The flames spread quickly amid an intense heat wave and shifting winds that have spread fires across the Southland in recent days. The blaze flared up as temperatures rose Tuesday, quickly moving toward an antenna farm on Santiago Peak.

Firefighters continued to conduct air drops, along with efforts on the ground, to stop the spread. Officials said the fire was burning away from Orange County communities, but added that it was moving northeast toward Riverside County.

“It’s been remarkably good,” said Laurie Nowocinski of Robinson Ranch, an area under evacuation orders. “Last night, there, it was red and it was racing up the hill and it got really red again here, but they’ve got that under control.”

Nowocinski says this is the largest fire she has seen in the 33 years she has lived in the area, and the one closest to her home.

On Tuesday morning there was no significant material damage.

Evacuation orders and warnings for Trabuco Canyon

Residents of the area north of the Riverside County-San Diego County border, south of Lake Elsinore near the base of Ortega Highway, east of the Orange County-Riverside County border, and west of South Main Divide Road and Grand Avenue were ordered to evacuate Tuesday afternoon.

Residents of Robinson Ranch, Trabuco Highlands, the Trabuco Highland apartment complex and Meander Lane were ordered to evacuate. Sheriff’s deputies went door to door to issue and enforce the order.

Authorities also advised voluntary evacuations for residents in the areas of: Rose Canyon Road, Trabuco Creek Road, Trabuco Canyon Road, Trabuco Oaks Drive, Joplin Loop and Cook’s Corner. More evacuation warnings were issued Tuesday for Caspers Regional Park and Blue Jay Campground along Ortega Highway.

Because the fire spread so quickly, Jennie Browning and her family had only a short time to pack their belongings and evacuate.

“It happened so fast yesterday. We barely had time,” she said.

They have packed their things and are waiting to be given permission to return home.

“We just got started. We had a packing list. We’ve done this a few times before, so we just got all the stuff we needed. It’s in the car down the hill here.”

Evacuation information and emergency information regarding the airport fire is available from the Orange County Sheriff here.

Nearby school districts also announced closures for Tuesday. Robinson and Trabuco elementary schools, under the Saddleback Valley Unified School District, will be closed Tuesday, including before- and after-school activities. The schools are expected to reopen Wednesday, depending on the progress of the fire and firefighting efforts.

A long-term care and shelter facility was established at the Rancho Santa Margarita Bell Tour Regional Community Center, 22232 El Paseo in Rancho Santa Margarita.

A temporary evacuation site was set up at the Lake Forest Sports Complex, 28000 Vista Terrace, Lake Forest.

A large animal shelter has opened at the Orange County Fair Grounds, 88 Fair Dr. in Costa Mesa.

Mission Viejo Animal Services has set up a meeting and reunion area at the Bell Tower Community Center in Rancho Santa Margarita to help residents reunite with their pets. For assistance with a pet, call (949)470-3045 and press 2.

How did the airport fire start?

It started when the county’s public works department tried to move boulders to block public access — mostly motorcyclists — to a section of the canyon with lots of dry vegetation that could easily catch fire.

“The fire has been classified as accidental,” said TJ McGovern, deputy fire chief for the Orange County Fire Authority.

“The cause of the fire was a spark from heavy equipment being used to replace barriers. Two Orange County Public Works employees were using heavy equipment to place large boulders as barriers on Trabuco Creek Road to restrict access to vegetation.”

“At Trabuco Creek Road they were moving boulders to block access to the vegetation … they were just putting up barriers to keep people out of the vegetation because of the weather we’re having right now. The fuels are getting to that point. So we just don’t want to have a lot of people in that vegetation unnecessarily.”

As they were moving the boulders, they saw smoke coming from the truck bed. The workers tried to use multiple extinguishers on the flames and called 911, he said.

The Trabuco Canyon fire was one of several wildfires burning in Southern California at the tail end of an extreme heat wave that created dangerous conditions. Winds pushed flames in unpredictable directions, while monsoon moisture in the air caused thunderstorms in some areas, bringing lightning strikes that could spark new blazes.