Laguna Beach officials credit fuel-modification, helipads and mutual aid for averting major damage in Rancho Fire

Laguna Beach officials told the City Council the Rancho Fire, reported in the afternoon the previous day, was contained before homes were destroyed thanks to coordinated emergency response, preexisting fuel-modification work and nearby helipad support.

City emergency operations manager Sarah Lamones said the city opened its Emergency Operations Center within about 30 minutes of the first reports and staffed a care-and-reception center at the Susie Q. “We sent out multiple alerts and warnings using our various systems,” Lamones said, noting wireless emergency alerts, Nixle and AlertOC messages plus press releases and social media updates were used to keep the public informed.

Fire Chief Nico King described how crews encountered rapidly spreading vegetation fire on a steep slope at Morningside and Rancho Laguna. He said flame lengths reached about 50 feet before a fuel-modification zone helped slow the fire’s advance. “One of our fuel modification zones worked as it was supposed to. The flames quickly died down,” King said, adding that the first helicopter arrived seven to eight minutes after the incident and dropped water precisely where needed.

Police Chief Jeff Calvert said officers and mutual-aid partners focused on evacuation and road closures. He also said detectives and arson investigators worked with video evidence and, within 12 hours, a juvenile suspect was taken into custody under a search-warrant operation. “This is a terrifying incident for our community, but we’ve been preparing for this,” Calvert said, praising the coordinated response from Laguna Beach Fire, Orange County Fire Authority, Newport Beach and Irvine police and other regional partners.

Council members and many speakers in public comment praised the response and urged continued investment in wildfire mitigation. Council members noted prior investment in fuel-modification programs and two helipads as critical. Council member Kemp said the city has implemented elements of a 2019 wildfire mitigation plan and reported the city has spent roughly $25 million on mitigation since 2019, with additional funding in the current budget cycle.

Officials said crews believed the fire was about 95 percent contained by the following day after drone overflights, hot-spot monitoring and planned hose pulls. King said crews planned to keep personnel on the slope overnight and perform another drone check early the next morning.

The council and public repeatedly stressed two themes in the meeting: (1) gratitude for firefighters, police and mutual-aid partners and (2) interest in continuing mitigation work — more fuel-modification, additional helipads and public outreach on alert signups and evacuation routes.

“We were lucky we had good weather, and I’m grateful for it, but I’m also extraordinarily grateful for that team,” Mayor Ranaghi said in remarks to the council.

What’s next: staff said they will follow indicated after-action steps including hot-spot monitoring, collection of incident costs and coordination with regional partners about air resources availability. Council members asked staff to return with any items that need Council funding or policy changes to accelerate mitigation and air-resource planning.

Speakers quoted: Nico King, Fire Chief; Jeff Calvert, Police Chief; Sarah Lamones, Emergency Operations Manager.

Ending: Officials said the city would continue night monitoring of the burn area and would begin restoration planning once field crews certify no hot spots remained.