The Frank and Joan Randall Preserve, also known as Banning Ranch, is a 387.6-acre stretch of coastal open space located in unincorporated Orange County, situated between two residential communities in Newport Beach, California. This wildland preserve features a diverse ecosystem including riparian woodlands, coastal sage scrub, and native grasslands—all of which carry a high wildfire risk, especially during extreme Santa Ana wind events.

High-Risk Wildland Next to Homes: A Recipe for Disaster
These vegetation types, while ecologically valuable, are highly combustible. Without proper vegetation management and wildfire monitoring, they pose a significant threat to the adjacent Newport Beach neighborhoods. This threat is not theoretical—it’s historical.

Two local examples illustrate the potential for disaster:

In the 1980s, a wildfire originating from Banning Ranch burned into the Newport Crest Community, destroying a condominium.
In the 1993 Laguna Fire, flames moved from Emerald Bay into Newport Coast, stopping only at Newport Coast Drive. At the time, the area east of Newport Coast Drive was undeveloped, sparing structures from damage—but the wildfire spread unhindered until then.

The Palisades Fire: A Wake-Up Call for Newport Beach
The Palisades Fire, which ignited on January 7, 2025, along the Temescal Ridge Trail in Topanga State Park, bears alarming similarities to conditions in Newport Beach’s Crystal Cove/Newport Coast area. This fire progressed rapidly from wildland to residential areas, exemplifying the three dangerous phases of such events:

Wildfire
Wildland-Urban Interface Fire
Urban Conflagration
Other tragic precedents include:

The Oakland Hills Fire (1991)
Boulder County Fire, CO (2021)
Maui Wildfire, HI (2023)
These events prove that even high-income, well-developed communities are not immune to wildfire destruction—especially when vegetation abuts homes and emergency response systems are strained.

Systemic Emergency Response Gaps
The January 2025 Los Angeles fires exposed ongoing operational issues, particularly with California’s mutual aid system. This system, designed to mobilize fire suppression resources statewide, routinely fails under pressure. During extreme events, up to 75% of structural damage occurs within the first four hours, yet resource deployment lags behind, a shortfall documented during the 2018 Camp Fire in Paradise but still unresolved.

The Case for Annexation and Local Oversight
To prevent a catastrophic wildfire event, Banning Ranch must be brought under the jurisdiction of the City of Newport Beach. As the area transitions into a public park, its use by residents and transient populations will increase, raising fire risks—as seen in Talbert Regional Park in Costa Mesa, adjacent to the Newport Beach Terrace townhomes.

Only through direct oversight by Newport Beach, including active vegetation control, fire mitigation planning, and ongoing patrol, can we ensure a safe future for both the preserve and the surrounding community.

Key Takeaway:
Wildfire risk in Newport Beach is real and growing. Proactive annexation and local land management of Banning Ranch are essential steps in protecting lives, homes, and natural resources from the next major fire. For more information, check out this interview with U.S. Senator and founder of an aerial firefighting company, Tim Sheehy, and this interview with Orange County Fire Chief Brian Hennessy.