O.C. Triangle Complex Fire Update

UPDATE: Click here for a map of the current evacuation areas in Brea and Yorba Linda, as provided by the City of Brea.  Click here for the latest Orange County Fire Authority Evacuation Map.  Click here for the latest fire area map from the O.C. Register.

I taught a first aid and CPR class yesterday in San Bernardino, then checked an online traffic site and discovered that the 57 and 91 Freeways had been closed.  I expected the Corona fire to head for Yorba Linda, but I could not believe that a fire had broken out in Brea and that it had straddled the 57 Freeway.  Today the fires have merged into one wildfire, that has been dubbed the “Triangle Complex Fire,” by the Orange County Fire Authority.  They are also reporting that over firefighters are now engaged in the battle against this fire.

The California State Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has a lot of information about this fire on their website.  They are reporting that over 10,000 acres have been burned in the Triangle Complex Fire.  More than 3,500 structures are still threatened.

“The flames spread for miles near Yorba Linda and Brea and raced through dry brush toward Chino Hills in San Bernardino County,” according to the O.C. Register.

Numerous residences have been lost already, according to the O.C. Fire Authority, including:

• Anaheim – 10 homes, 10 apartment buildings (50 apartment units) – TOTAL of 60 residences
• Yorba Linda – 70 residences
• Corona – 16 residences

The American Red Cross of Orange County has opened three shelters to assist Orange County fire evacuees. The current shelter locations are:

• Katella High School
  2200 E Wagner Avenue
  Anaheim, CA 92806
  (on Wagner Ave. east of State College)
• Brea Community Center
  695 Madison Avenue
  Brea, CA 92821
  (Corner of Madison and Randolph)
• Valencia High School
  500 North Bradford
  Placentia, CA 92870
  (Located on Bradford between Chapman Ave. and Ruby)

The City of Brea has posted this update as of 8 a.m. today on their emergency website:

Ordered evacuations remain in effect for Olinda Village, Hollydale Mobile Home Park, and Sommerset Townhomes north of Lambert Road. Return times are under evaluation. When decided the time will be recorded here and posted to cityofbrea.net. Residents can now re-enter the neighborhoods around Fanning School – Heritage Hills, Canyon Country…east of State College with ID that is proof of residency.

Fire strike crews and other public safety personnel remain fully engaged in fighting the Triangle Complex Fire. City of Brea maintenance and community services personnel are fully involved in many support efforts.

As a precautionary measure, residents of Yorba Linda’s Lake Park Terrace mobile home park and residents of the Vesuvius tract near Rose Drive have now been asked to evacuate. Buses from OCTA were staged at the Stater Bros shopping center for transit to the evacuation shelter at Valencia High School, located at 500 N. Bradford.

Click here for updates from the O.C. Register.  Click here to watch a video about Day One of the Triangle Complex Fire.

UPDATE:

The Santa Ana CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is being mobilized:

We need you help. If you can assist with the fires please CONTACT Captain Chris Caswell at 714-647-5732, or email him at ccaswell@santa-ana.org

The CERT coordinator is Matt Brisbois. The meeting place will be Irvine Park but please contact Chris Caswell before showing up. We need to be able to coordinate teams and keep track of everyone.

UPDATE:

That fire keeps moving north from Brea. The 57 Freeway was closed this morning between Lambert Road and the 60 Freeway as flames moved close. The concern is that the fire could hit the hillside communities in Diamond Bar, though it’s still a ways away. A DC-10 is dropping flame retardant in the hills south of Diamond Bar, and fire ground crews appear to be staging near the 57. The Country Estates gated community in Diamond Bar being evacuating. (L.A. Times).