Several school districts in Orange County, Calif., have closed campuses and shifted to distance learning because of evacuations and poor air quality related to a wildfire burning in Silverado Canyon.
The Orange County Register reports that Irvine, Saddleback Valley, Tustin and Newport-Mesa were among the districts to pivot students to online learning Thursday.
The fire has destroyed homes and forced at least 25,000 residents to evacuate; it has spread to more than 6,400 acres.
Saddleback Valley Unified announced these schools will keep students off campus and doing distancing learning on Friday: Del Lago Elementary, El Toro High, Gates Elementary, Glen Yermo Elementary, La Madera Elementary, Lake Forest Elementary, Melinda Heights Elementary, Olivewood Elementary, Rancho Canada Elementary, Santiago STEAM Magnet Elementary, Serrano Intermediate, Trabuco Elementary and Trabuco Hills High.
El Toro High’s parking was being used Friday as an evacuation center for the city of Lake Forest, the district said.
Crean Lutheran High School in Irvine also has shifted to online learning.
The Newport-Mesa, Irvine and Tustin districts reported poor air quality from smoke affecting their schools and some staff members who were dealing with evacuations.
