Thousands Flee Fast-Moving Trabing Fire

Blaze surpasses size of Martin Fire in first hours

STORY BY TRACI HUKILL PHOTO BY PAUL WAGNER

Within two and a half hours on Friday afternoon, the Trabing Fire in south Santa Cruz County had raced through 500 acres, fueled by extraordinarily high temperatures and dry conditions. An hour and a half later, it had claimed 1,000 acres and nine structures, according to the county's public information office, and 2,000 people had been evacuated from their homes along Larkin Valley and Buena Vista roads.

The Red Cross set up an evacuation center at the Aptos High School gym, and horses were being housed at the fairgrounds in Watsonville.

According to news reports, witnesses said they saw a motorist traveling north on Highway 1 set several fires at the Buena Vista exit at about 2pm Friday.

The blaze is the third major fire to hit Santa Cruz County in a month. The Martin Fire, which burned 500 acres in Bonny Doon, started on Wednesday, June 11. The Summit Fire, which charred 4,200 acres near Corralitos, started Thursday, May 22.