Firefighter Hurt After Vehicle Rolls 100' Near Elsinore: Airport Fire
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA — It’s been nine days, and the Airport Fire continues to burn Tuesday in Orange and Riverside counties.
Tuesday also marked the 13th firefighter injury caused by the giant blaze that has consumed 23,519 acres across both counties and is still just 31% contained.
The latest incident occurred at approximately 11:45 a.m. Tuesday when a firefighter vehicle rolled about 100 feet down a hillside near the North Main Divide in Riverside County, according to Orange County Fire Authority Cpt. Steve Conciadi.
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The area is above Lake Elsinore, where the terrain is extremely steep. A helicopter crew was summoned to hoist an injured firefighter from the wreckage.
Conciadi said the firefighter was rushed to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Information about the firefighter was not released. Conciadi could not yet confirm which agency the firefighter serves.
Over the course of the Airport Fire battle, 12 other firefighters have been injured. Most suffered heat-related illness, and all have been released from the hospital, according to Conciadi.
Two civilians were also hurt in the blaze. They suffered minor injuries, Conciadi said.
The numbers could go up. On Tuesday, firefighters were scouring burn areas to assess the damage.
So far, Cal Fire reports 160 structures were destroyed in the blaze and 34 others damaged.
Cool, night and morning fog is helping keep flames down, but containment lines are still being laid.
According to Conciadi, dozens of crew members were being dropped via aircraft Tuesday into remote areas to improve the lines and test them amid gusty afternoon winds. The firefighters are expected to remain in place for three days and two nights.
Efforts to douse the destructive fire have been Herculean. As of Tuesday afternoon, Cal Fire reports 2,037 personnel are still assigned to the blaze. Equipment includes 17 helicopters, 102 engines, 25 dozer, 34 water tenders and 65 crews from various agencies.
Evacuation warnings and orders remain in place for some communities, and several road closures continue. See the latest updates here.
The Airport Fire began at about 1 p.m. Sept. 9 near Orange County’s Trabuco Canyon Road. Officials said the fire was sparked by a county public works crew using heavy equipment. The cause was deemed accidental.
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