Fundraiser created for injured OC firefighters in rollover crash following Airport Fire

A fundraiser has been established for the eight firefighters who were injured in a rollover crash in Irvine Thursday night as they were returning from battling the Airport Fire in Orange County, authorities confirmed Friday morning.

The firefighters, all of them men, are members of two hand crews that had finished 12-hour shifts and were headed back to incident command when the crash occurred about 6:50 p.m., said Chief Brian Fennessy of the Orange County Fire Authority at a news conference.

Authorities did not say what may have caused the solo-vehicle crash along northbound state Route 241, just north of the Portola Parkway exit.

“This is obviously a huge tragedy for our family,” Fennessy said, referring to the entire department.

Fennessy said the injured crew members were taken immediately to hospitals. Seven were transported by ambulance, and one by helicopter.

After being treated by emergency medical staff Thursday, two crew members were determined to be in stable condition and were released. The others are still hospitalized. Their conditions range from stable to critical, Fennessy said.

"We've got a tough road ahead. Many of the injured are going to be hospitalized for quite a while,” he said.

By Friday evening, the Orange County Fire Authority posted on X that two more firefighters had been released from area hospitals.

What's next?

Hand crews are responsible for clearing brush and other types of fuel from the path of the fire. Fennessy said it is one of the most challenging assignments a firefighter can have.

Hand crews from other fire departments, including Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, have been called in to replace the Orange County crews still working the fire who have been pulled off the line, the chief said.

“As you can imagine how traumatic it would be to see your fellow firefighters that injured in the middle of the freeway,” Fennessey said. “I had an opportunity to meet with them last night… and it was absolutely heartbreaking.”

He said he and other department members were “still in a bit of shock.”

The California Highway Patrol said the incident remains under investigation.

“We’re going to do our best to make sure it’s a thorough investigation,” Lt. Hope Maxson said.

Fundraiser

A fundraiser has been started for the eight Orange County Fire Authority crewmembers injured in a crash while leaving the Airport Fire.

Money from the fundraiser will be delivered to the Fallen Firefighter Relief Fund and distributed directly to the affected firefighters and their families.

Find out how to help here.

Background info

The Airport Fire ignited Sept. 9 in Trabuco Canyon near the city of Rancho Santa Margarita, prompting evacuations. So far, it has burned more than 23,500 acres and destroyed at least 160 structures, including homes and commercial buildings. More than 30 other structures were damaged, according to Cal Fire.

Authorities said the blaze started when an Orange County public works employee was using heavy equipment to move boulders along Trabuco Creek Road.

The Airport Fire is one of three massive blazes in Southern California that fire crews are working to contain. The others are the Line Fire in San Bernardino County and the Bridge Fire in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties.