Orange County has paid more than $39 million worth of settlements in the almost year since the Airport fire broke out and destroyed more than 100 structures, according to county officials.
“This includes settlements and from individuals who submitted documented claims for costs incurred related to the fire,” said Molly Nichelson, a spokesperson for the county. “Mediations are continuing and the county is working hard to expedite the process to help those impacted be reimbursed for their loss to begin to rebuild their lives.”
The Sept. 9 fire was sparked when a county Public Works Department crew was using heavy machinery on a hot and dry summer day to move boulders in Trabuco Canyon. The fire burned for 26 days, charring 23,000 acres in Orange and Riverside counties.
The county has appropriated nearly $500 million to cover expected claims it will pay out. Thousands of claim forms have been submitted and more than 1,200 filed are now public and posted on the county’s website as of late July.
The asks range from people wanting compensation for their destroyed homes and cars to reimbursements for hotel stays since they had to evacuate.
All claims so far have been paid with county funds, Nichelson said. The county has received $20 million from insurers so far, but its coverage is capped at $30 million, she said.
Any claims paid out beyond that will come from county funds, she said.
The Airport fire broke out in Trabuco Canyon and raced up Santiago Peak and into Riverside County. The blaze destroyed 160 structures, including homes, sheds, cars and such, and damaged another 34 in the two counties, according to CalFire. Twenty-one people were injured and thousands evacuated during the fire.
While the fire was still burning, the county hired a law firm to assist with any resulting litigation. The claims people file are normally a prerequisite before a lawsuit can be pursued.
The deadline for filing a personal injury or property damage claim caused by the fire is six months from the date of loss.
For real property or economic loss, it’s one year.
ALSO SEE: California says OC doesn’t qualify for federal fire assistance grant for Airport fire
After announcing settlements approved here and there throughout the first few months of the year, the Board of Supervisors has sped up the number of settlements it’s been approving.
The board agreed to $9 million in settlements in April and another $15 million in June over two separate meetings.
And at the Aug. 12 OC Board of Supervisors meeting, County Counsel Leon Page announced that another $10.9 million in settlements had been approved, $4.1 million of which is for some owners of the Holy Jim Canyon cabins that were destroyed. Those historic cabins in the Cleveland National Forest were near where the fire began.
People have lived there since the late 19th century in a small, tight-knit community.
The county won’t know yet how much it will ultimately pay for the fire.