Fire destroyed a historic World War II-era hangar early Tuesday at the former Tustin Air Base that was a significant part of Orange County's military history.
The fire was reported at about 1:30 a.m. near Valencia Avenue and Armstrong Road, where flames were shooting through the roof of the towering wooden hangar. Parts of the roof fell to the ground, and firefighters took up positions outside the hanger, which is typically empty, due to the threat of collapse.
The fire authority called in a helicopter to help fight the fire, something fire officials said was unheard of. The Chinook helicopters are used to fight wildfires.
Details about a cause were not immediately available. No injuries were reported.
"We have determined the most operationally sound method is to allow the structure to collapse, at which point ground crews can move in closer, and aggressively work to extinguish the fire," the Orange County Fire Authority tweeted.