Holy Fire: 5% Containment On 3,300-Acre Orange County Blaze

TRABUCO CANYON, CA -- Fueled by grass and brush, a fast-moving wildfire in Orange County burned more than 3,300 acres by Tuesday evening as hundreds of firefighters worked to continue the blaze that forced residents to evacuate. Officials said the fire was 5 percent contained.

The Holy Fire was reported at 1:21 p.m. Monday in the Holy Jim Canyon on the west side of the Santa Mountains. After just a few hours, the blaze quickly grew to thousands of acres as firefighters were challenged by topography that fueled the fire.

Officials initially said the fire was 4,000 acres but revised that number Tuesday.

The fire was burning downhill toward Main Divide forest road at a "moderate rate of speed," within sight of Corona, El Cerrito and Glen Ivy Hot Springs, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Officials said hot and dry weather would continue to make conditions difficult for personnel.

Trabuco and Holy Jim canyons were under mandatory evacuation orders, as well as the Blue Jay and El Cariso campgrounds, according to the Cleveland National Forest. All campgrounds in the Trabuco Ranger District were closed and forest road closures were in effect for Trabuco Creek, Maple Springs, North Main Divide, Bedford and Indian Truck Trail.

At 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, voluntary evacuations were issued for Highway 74 west from Lookout Restairant to Nichols Institute and all areas in between. Residents were told to exit west to Orange County to avoid fire equipment coming from the Elsinore side.

Two structures were destroyed in the blaze and two firefighters were injured, but they are expected to recover, officials said.

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The South Coast Air Quality Management District warned that during the overnight and early morning hours, downslope winds could bring smoke into the valleys west and southwest of the fire. Portions of Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties were likely to be affected.

"Air quality may reach unhealthy levels or higher in areas directly impacted by smoke," according to an SCAQMD statement.

The OCFA said residents in the Holy Jim area can call the fire hotline at (714) 628-7085 for updates.

The fire is one of more than a dozen to burn Tuesday in California with the largest being the Mendocino Complex Fire in Northern California. The fires burned more than 263,000 acres, becoming the largest wildfire in state history.

The deadliest wildfire is the Carr Fire in Shasta County, which burned more than 167,000 acres, killed seven people and destroyed more than 1,500 acres. Two firefighters also died this fire season while battling the Ferguson Fire in Mariposa County.

--City News Service contributed to this report/Photo courtesy of Mark Ritter