Orange County supervisors have approved $9.5 million in settlements related to the Airport Fire that occurred last year. During a closed-door meeting on Tuesday, the supervisors voted 4-0 to allocate $6.5 million to a group of six claimants and $3 million to an individual family. Supervisor Janet Nguyen was absent from the meeting.
The Airport Fire began on September 9, 2024, and burned 23,526 acres across Orange and Riverside counties, injuring 21 people. The fire was reportedly started by an Orange County Public Works crew using heavy machinery without adequate fire suppression measures in Trabuco Canyon, according to county documents.
The county is currently processing over 2,000 claims related to the fire, which include requests for reimbursement for physical damages, emotional distress, and other expenses. As of March 7, more than 600 claims have been publicized, but the final number of claims remains uncertain due to duplicates and multiple filings under the same property. The Orange County Register reports that the county has already paid out about $1.6 million in claims.
The county’s risk management department is working to address the claims, and officials have warned of potential financial impacts. The county has $30 million in insurance coverage that may help cover the costs of the claims. Despite the financial challenges, experts believe it is unlikely that the county will face bankruptcy due to the fire.
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