SOUTH COUNTY -- In what may have been a blaze started intentionally by a motorist heading north on Highway 1, fire broke out from the Airport Boulevard exit all the way to Mar Monte Avenue just before 2 p.m.
According to emergency dispatchers, callers reported a motorist set spot fires at four or five areas along the freeway, which quickly spread. At 2:15 p.m, residents at 134 Trabing Road called to say fire surrounded their house and they were trapped inside.
Firefighters said fire was burning along both sides of the 400 block of Trabing Road, which is just off the Buena Vista exit of Highway 1, running parallel to the freeway. The Larkin Valley/Buena and Airport Boulevard exits to the freeway exit are closed.
Officials were evacuating Larkin Valley Road to Buena Vista and Trabing Road. At 2:45 p.m., emergency crews were calling residents on Larkin Valley Road and Larkin Vista Lane the north side of Highway 1, ordering them to evacuate. When asked if they were mandatory evacuations, a dispatcher said "Yes, they are on fire."
Reverse 911 calls were made to residents along Mar Monte to Buena Vista to Larkin Valley Road.
Jim Graham, who drove through Larkin Valley, said the fire is moving through the tops of the eucalyptus trees. He said people are evacuating animals with trailers.
"They are packing animals into trailers and some people are walking their animals down the road," Graham said.
At 2:55 p.m. the fire jumped Larkin Valley.
