A large fire broke out late Thursday in a jet fuel production area at Chevron’s El Segundo refinery, just south of Los Angeles. The blaze caused significant disruption in California’s fuel supply, particularly affecting jet fuel, which the refinery provides in large quantities to southern California and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
Chevron’s El Segundo refinery is a major player in the United States, ranking as the company’s second-largest and supplying around 20% of motor vehicle fuel and 40% of the jet fuel used in the region. The fire started in the Isomax 7 unit, a part of the refinery that converts fuel oil into jet fuel. Although the exact cause of the fire is not yet known, reports say the flames were still burning early Friday morning, even though the fire was mostly contained.
Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and all refinery workers were accounted for. Local emergency teams, including Chevron’s fire department and responders from nearby cities, responded quickly to the incident. Residents living near the refinery were not evacuated, but some in the nearby city of Manhattan Beach were advised to stay indoors until early Friday morning as a precaution.
Visually, the fire was intense, lighting up the southern California sky with an orange glow. The refinery also activated its safety flare, a tall flame used to burn off excess hydrocarbons when processing stops. Videos shared by local residents showed the loud blast and bright flames, capturing the attention and concern of the community.
At this time, there is no known impact on jet fuel supplies to LAX, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. However, given the refinery’s critical role in regional fuel production and California’s isolated fuel market—separate from major refining hubs in the Midwest and Gulf Coast—there could be price increases for gasoline and jet fuel in the area as supply tightens.
If the refinery’s output stays affected for a longer period, California may need to bring in more fuel from Asia, with countries like South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan already supplying jet fuel to the U.S. West Coast. This situation highlights how regional fuel markets can be vulnerable to disruptions at a single large facility.
State and federal safety agencies will investigate the fire once it is fully extinguished. Chevron’s refinery, which can store up to 12.5 million barrels of oil and fuel, has experienced other small fires in the past, including a brief blaze in December 2022.
For now, the focus remains on containing the fire, ensuring the safety of workers and the nearby community, and monitoring the impact on fuel supplies in southern California.