Firefighters Contain Whiting Ranch Blaze

A stubborn but slow-moving brush fire scorched more than five acres of chaparral Monday near the intersection of Santiago Canyon and Modjeska Canyon roads, keeping firefighters working late into the evening.

The cause of the blaze was still under investigation late Monday, but authorities said it began around 3:05 p.m. near the bottom of a thickly grown canyon.

Three water-dumping helicopters battled the fire, as did a crew of more than 75 firefighters who hiked several hundred yards into thick oak and shrub with hoses, according to Capt. Paul Hunter of the Orange County Fire Authority.

The fire was located in the Whiting Ranch area, not close to any homes, according to Hunter. Low winds prevented the fire from spreading quickly, he said. Despite the fire’s persistence, some area residents and workers said they were unaware of the blaze.

“We heard the sirens, but we couldn’t see anything,” said an employee at Cook’s Corner, a well-known restaurant and bar about two miles away.

Although the fire was almost completely contained in two hours, Hunter said firefighters would likely work late into the evening to douse much of the singed vegetation.