The Orange County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday terminated the local emergency declared on October 23, 2007 in response to the Santiago Fire.
The fire destroyed 15 homes and damaged eight others and burned 28,400 acres before it was contained on November 8, 2007. The fire was estimated to have cost the county $15 million and a claim for federal assistance was denied but an appeal is now under review. The fire caused the evacuation thousands of residents of of Modjeska, Santiago, Williams, Ladd, Baker and Black Star Canyons.
Department Emergency Management Manager Donna Boston told the Board of Supervisors that the termination of the declared emergency will have no impact on the outcome of the claim. She added that the county is able to respond to any residual impact of the fire, such as the threat of mudslides and flooding that came with last weekend’s rainstorm.
The Board voted unanimously to end the local emergency declaration. The fire was believed to have been caused by arson and a $250,000 reward has been posted for information leading to the arrest and conviction the person or persons responsible