Fast-Moving Wildfire Burns Homes in Southern California
The Norte Fire has scorched 570 acres in Orange County, prompting evacuations and destroying several residences.
A rapidly spreading wildfire in Orange County, California, has burned several homes and expanded to 570 acres as of Saturday morning, officials reported. The Norte Fire, which ignited Friday afternoon near San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, was 5% contained.
The Orange County Fire Authority confirmed that at least six homes were damaged or destroyed. Evacuation orders remained in place Saturday for specific zones in San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.
The blaze began around 11:30 a.m. Friday and quickly grew, consuming 465 acres within three hours, according to Cal Fire and the OCFA. Strong Santa Ana winds, high heat, and dry conditions contributed to the fire's rapid progression.
Firefighting efforts were underway throughout Friday night, with crews working to increase containment and extinguish hot spots. "Our number one objective is safety of the community and our firefighters, and when it's safe to do so, our second priority would be to get people back into their homes," said Mike Yeun, battalion chief for the OCFA, during a late-night update.
One firefighter suffered from heat exhaustion, and another sustained an injury, but no other civilian injuries were reported. Evacuation shelters have been established at the Boys and Girls Club in San Juan Capistrano, the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, and the San Clemente Community Center.
The state has secured a grant from FEMA to provide additional resources for combating the fire. Local schools dismissed students early on Friday, and some local football games were canceled due to the fire conditions.
The Norte Fire is one of several wildfires burning across Southern California. The Bryson Fire in Malibu had burned 147 acres with 52% containment, and the Peak Fire in Azusa had scorched 43.3 acres with 41% containment as of Saturday morning. The Henderson Fire near San Diego had burned over 3,100 acres with 20% containment.
Red Flag fire conditions are expected to continue until 8 p.m. Saturday for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.