MISSION VIEJO – Authorities quickly extinguished a vegetation fire in a Mission Viejo creek bed that burned near an apartment complex on Monday afternoon.

The 1-acre fire was spotted about 4 p.m. in vegetation in a creek bed near Los Alisos Boulevard and Vallejo, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi said.

About 50 firefighters brought the blaze under control within about 45 minutes. They were aided by helicopters that made a series of water drops.

Some nearby residents left the area as the fire burned, but authorities say no one was forced to leave.

However, Concialdi said the fire came “dangerously close” to nearby condos, burning vegetation and trees before crews were able to stop it near a wall separating the residences from the landscaping.

Lisa Graham, principal of nearby Glen Yermo Elementary School, stayed in contact with authorities during the blaze. After-school programs at the campus continued as planned in the school library.

Ashley Hunt, who lives about a mile from the fire, could see smoke from the blaze as she drove along the I-5 at Bake Parkway. She then passed the heavily wooded site at Los Alisos Boulevard and Vallejo, with smoke visible but no flames.

Rob Elliott could smell the fire as he watched helicopters make the loop to grab water from Lake Mission Viejo and drop it on the blaze at around 4:30 p.m. The helicopters had stopped by about 4:45 p.m., he said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

The fire came as gusty winds, high temperatures and low humidity have officials across Southern California on high alert. However, there was only a light breeze from 5 mph to 10 mph in Mission Viejo at the time of the creek bed fire, authorities said.

Contact the writer: 714-796-7939 or semery@ocregister.com