At around 11:50 am yesterday, a fire emerged on a hillside near the 28000 block of Avenida La Mancha. It soon gained the strength to threaten SJHHS and over 50 nearby homes.

Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA) Capt. Larry Kurtz said that a 911 call claimed the 58-acre fire started near a stable, although this could not be confirmed. Other witnesses such as David Bro, a freelance photographer, told the Orange County Register that the fire came as close as 150 yards of the endangered houses.

Despite managing to jump over a road, the fire spread at a moderate rate, providing enough time for 120 firefighters to arrive at the scene.

“The fire is in light flashy fuels. It doesn’t have any heavy fuels. It means we can go direct attack on it, which means attack it directly with our hose lines,” said Kurtz in an interview with KPCC.

Firefighters battled the brush fire on two separate flanks using hose lines, two helicopters, and two bulldozers. One firefighter had to be airlifted out of the firebreak area due to a minor injury.

Some SJHHS students, such as Emma Daniel, were unable to enter their neighborhoods due to the OCFA blocking off both Avenida La Mancha and Stallion Ridge for the purpose of public safety.

The flames spread to a hill bordering the SJHHS parking lot, but soon began to run low on fuel. By 1:30 p.m., the fire was put under control with ease, allowing for safety to return to the school and homes that were in danger.

A small number of firefighting units were placed at the site overnight to ensure that no new fires arise.