Orange County supervisors have agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle various claims related to last year’s Airport Fire.
The supervisors Tuesday voted 4-0, with Supervisor Janet Nguyen absent in the closed-door meeting, to approve $6.5 million for a group of six claimants, and $3 million for an individual family.
The Airport Fire, which started Sept. 9, blackened 23,526 acres in Orange and Riverside counties, injuring 21 people.
Officials said the fire was sparked by the county public works crew using heavy equipment. The cause was deemed accidental.
On Sept. 19, eight firefighters were injured when a transport truck carrying an Orange County Fire Authority hand crew swerved and rolled over on the northbound Foothill (241) Toll Road in Irvine as they were heading back to the Airport Fire command post after completing a 12-hour shift on the fire line.
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