Update from the City of Tustin Website

Posted By doloresmendez on November 16, 2023

NORTH HANGAR FIRE COMMUNITY RESOURCE PAGE

The City has compiled the following information to keep residents informed about the North Hangar Fire cleanup, closures, landscaping guidance and other key information. Read on to learn more.

Hangar Incident Hotline – (714) 426-2444

A new call center has been established. The call center will be available from 7am – 7pm daily. After 7pm, community members will have the ability to leave a message that will be checked every morning with follow up as needed. Dial 714-426-2444 to reach the hotline.

Health and Safety Tips (as approved by the OCHCA, updated 11/14/23)

Asbestos has been identified in the debris related to the Tustin Hangar fire incident. Avoid touching or disturbing debris related to the fire.   

 Guidance is noted below for residents in the immediate areas:

Reduce your exposure at home:   

Keep windows and doors closed  
Remove shoes before entering the home  
Turn on indoor Air Purifiers
- Keep Air Conditioning units, HVAC systems, Swamp Coolers and Whole house fans off to minimize drawing outside air in.
If you have a pet, minimize outdoor activity. Reduce your exposure outdoors.
Avoid touching debris  
If your skin, eyes or mouth inadvertently come into contact with debris, wash thoroughly as soon as you can.  
Limit or avoid activities that will displace debris related to the fire. (Example- Avoid sweeping, landscaping, leaf blowing, mowing, gardening)    Avoid outdoor activities (exercise, running, cycling, basketball, soccer, etc.), yard furniture and play equipment until advised otherwise.
Avoid temporarily closed areas (parks, schools).
If you must go outdoors in the immediate area, P100 respirators offer greater protection than well fitted N95 masks.
Seek medical attention if you have any medical concerns.

Hangar Deconstruction Information

The deconstruction of the remaining north hangar structure continues to be one of our top priorities. We are working non-stop with our partners from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the South Coast Air Quality Management District (AQMD), the Department of the Navy, the Orange County Health Care Agency, as well as our City and County leaders on a detailed deconstruction plan.

We have already dispatched our remediation contractor, ATI Restoration, to conduct ongoing removal of debris from the immediate area surrounding the hangar site. This is being conducted to ensure that any contaminated debris near the hangar site does not end up in our surrounding communities before, during, or after the deconstruction process.

The exact date and time of the deconstruction is not determined at this time. Although we don’t have a finalized plan, we do know that the main portion of this deconstruction will be the removal of the large metal framed doors and removal of any remaining portion of the west facing wall. The large concrete column supports on each side of the doors are not part of the immediate plan for removal.

Request Fire Debris Removal

The Incident Management Team has also launched a new debris reporting portal. This new portal is linked to GIS mapping and will allow operational personnel to better allocate resources to the impacted areas to increase efficiency. Debris previously reported to Envirocheck is being tracked and processed in the order it was received and no further report is needed. Data provided from Envirocheck has been migrated to the new portal.

Anyone who believes they have debris from the Tustin Hangar Fire Incident, regardless of what city they reside in, is encouraged to utilize the portal or call the hotline.

Remember: do not touch or disturb fire-related debris.

What To Expect With Fire Debris Removal

We recognize that residents and businesses are eager to have debris removed from their properties. There are environmental regulations in place at both a local and federal level that determine how the fire debris is assessed and safely removed. We’re working with regional partners to make sure this process is efficient and safe for the Tustin community.

Cleanup will be handled in two steps:

Debris Assessment (Envirocheck)
Debris Removal (ATI)
Here’s what to expect:

Debris Assessment: When you report debris using the portal or call the hotline at (714) 426-2444, an Envirocheck crew member will be deployed to your home or business. Crews will contact you at your home or business to assess the fire debris on the property. They will wear a mask and gloves, gather information about the debris, and report it back to the team in order to deploy a separate team (ATI) to remove the debris. This second step is important to make sure removal is done safely and properly, following local and federal rules.

Debris Removal (ATI): Once alerted by the assessment crews, ATI removal crews arrive and will handle safe removal and disposal of the debris from your property at no cost to you. Please don’t be alarmed that they will be wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for their safety, including full body suits, foot coverings, and a respirator.

Both Envirocheck and ATI are Certified Asbestos Contractors and have been approved by South Coast AQMD.

What Type of Fire Debris Should Be Reported?

Tustin community members are encouraged to report the presence of fire debris and materials on their property to the Debris Reporting Form portal or call the hotline at (714) 426-2444.

Here’s a list to help know what to report and what NOT to report:

Report

Larger pieces of material, similar to building material in photos shown below materials including siding, fiberglass, sheets of plastic and insulation.

Don’t Report

Ashes, soot, and small pieces of material

Community Closures

Temporary Road Closures
In response to the incident, the following roads are closed until further notice:

Valencia Avenue in both directions from Kensington Park Drive to Armstrong Avenue.
Armstrong Avenue both directions from Valencia Avenue to Victory Drive.
Temporary Tustin Park Closures/Event Cancellations/Tustin Schools Closures At the recommendation of the Orange County Health Care Agency and out of an abundance of caution, the City is closing the following parks (effective immediately) and recommending that community members limit outdoor activities unless alerted otherwise. To view a list of all City parks (open and closed), please visit https://www.tustinca.org/715/Parks-Information.

Temporary Tustin Park Closures

The Annex at Tustin Legacy, 15445 Lansdowne Road
Tustin Legacy Park, Red Hill Avenue/Barranca Parkway
Veterans Sport Park, 1645 Valencia Avenue
Tustin Sports Park, 12850 Robinson Drive
Victory Park, 3300 Park Avenue
Centennial Park, 14722 Devonshire Ave.
Frontier Park, 1400 Mitchell Ave.
Ron Foell Park, 60 Windrow Rd.
Pine Tree Park, 1402 Bryan Ave.
Magnolia Tree Park, 2274 Fig Tree Drive
Additional parks/facilities may be closed pending further information from AQMD/OCHCA

Tustin Unified School District Closures

For an updated list of school closures, please visit the Tustin Unified School District’s website at https://www.tustin.k12.ca.us/tustin-hangar-fire/school-status.
For TUSD updates related to the Hangar Incident visit the TUSD Incident Website.

Landscaping Info

Residents should use caution and avoid areas where asbestos has been detected or is suspected. Exposure to asbestos can cause harmful health effects. If inhaled, asbestos can increase the risk of developing lung disease or cancer and if ingested, asbestos can damage the stomach or intestinal lining. 

Fire debris should be avoided, and should not be disturbed with landscaping equipment.

If you encounter debris, avoid it and call (714) 426-2444 or use our portal to request that the debris be removed by professionals.

City/Navy Agreement

The Tustin City Council met on Nov. 10, 2023, in an emergency meeting. The City Council voted 4-0 to authorize approval of a cooperative agreement to implement an emergency response related to the Tustin North Hangar fire with the U.S. Department of the Navy, which owns the North Hangar property. The agreement would allow the City to take immediate actions needed for remediation of the Tustin North Hangar site, for the health and safety of the Tustin community (an initial $1 million). The Navy will fund costs to ensure that human health and safety are protected. This includes actions to ensure that asbestos assessment and remediation activities are available to Tustin residents and businesses. The funding may also be used by the City to safely demolish the hangar and stabilize the site. Link to release