A wind-fueled brush fire in Southern California destroyed several high-value homes and forced thousands of residents to flee as flames raced through coastal Orange County.
The rapidly spreading Norte Fire began Friday in San Clemente before pushing into nearby San Juan Capistrano, propelled by warm gusts reaching 60 mph.
Evacuation orders were issued for roughly 16,000 people and 6,000 homes as officials warned that the fire could continue advancing overnight, ABC7 reported.
By Saturday morning, the Orange County Fire Authority said the Norte Fire had scorched approximately 570 acres and destroyed six large homes near the coast.
Steve Concialdi, a captain with the Orange County Fire Authority, said the strong winds made the blaze especially challenging to control.
“The helicopters can only do so much,” Concialdi said. “The fixed-wing planes that drop retardant, they can only do so much.”
Hundreds of firefighters were dispatched to the hills of southern Orange County, about an hour south of Los Angeles. Two firefighters were taken to the hospital after being injured, including one treated for heat exhaustion.
By Saturday night, improving conditions allowed officials to cancel nearly all evacuation orders, with only one road still covered by restrictions.
Local authorities said the wind-driven Norte Fire had destroyed six coastal homes in Orange County by Saturday.
The fire erupted Friday in San Clemente and moved into San Juan Capistrano as warm, gusty Santa Ana winds swept through the region.
Evacuation orders affected about 16,000 residents and 6,000 homes as the brush fire spread.
Fire officials said powerful winds significantly complicated efforts to contain the Norte Fire.
Two firefighters were hospitalized while battling the blaze, with one suffering from heat exhaustion.
Andy Auerbach, a resident of Calle Miramar in San Juan Capistrano, described the fear and uncertainty that gripped the coastal communities as embers traveled ahead of the flames.
“It’s a lot of embers that are blowing into the yard, starting little fires, and so we’re just trying to play whack-a-mole,” Auerbach told the outlet. “Any little hotspot that emerges, we’re trying to put it out.”
The fire’s rapid growth was fueled by Santa Ana winds, which bring hot, dry air toward the Southern California coast. Temperatures climbed into the upper 90s.
Zachary Torgesson left the home where he had lived for 16 years and took shelter at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center.
As the fire threatened his residence, Torgesson told the outlet that he was “just leaving it all to God.”
Susan Kannakko, a 51-year-old local resident, said the fire appeared to move toward her San Clemente home with little warning.
The Norte Fire was reported at about 11:33 a.m. Friday near Portico Del Norte in San Clemente. Investigators have not yet determined what caused it.
‘It was like out of a movie, when the spaceship comes in, and everything goes black,’ Kannakko, who lives on Calle Delgado, told the LA Times.
Residents in the Southern California enclaves described the dangerous blaze suddenly descending upon them to start the weekend
The Santa Ana winds that caused the Norte Fire to spread through the ritzy Orange County cities reached speeds up to 60 mph
The fire broke out shortly after 11.30pm on Friday in the area of Portico Del Norte in San Clemente
Kannakko described black smoke ‘billowing in’ and seeing embers around her home.
‘We thought we were gonna lose everything,’ she told the outlet. ‘All I could see was flames left, right, and to the sky.’
One of her housemates, Luke Falanga, said the sun suddenly ‘changed color’ as the fire approached.
‘I thought it was an eclipse,’ Falanga, 30, said. ‘It was the smoke.’
Photos of the aftermath of the fire showed palm tree-lined homes now looking completely charred.
Smoke and embers rose from the ritzy properties despite firefighters’ best efforts to contain the flames.
Another local, Robert Morris, called the fire a ‘wake–up call.’
‘I’ve lived here since 1995, and this is the first time we’ve really ever had a fire in this area,’ Morris told CBS LA.
So far, the Norte Fire has burned down about 570 acres. The blaze is one of 10 wildfires that have not been contained in California
As of Saturday night, the Norte Fire was 25 percent contained. All evacuation orders, except for one road, had been lifted
However, locals can expect to see fire crews stay on site for days to ensure that a ‘rekindle’ of the blaze does not occur
Concialdi, the fire captain, told reporters Saturday morning that he expected the containment to increase ‘dramatically’ throughout the day.
As of Saturday night, the Norte Fire was 25 percent contained.
He said one of the firefighters hospitalized had been released, and described the other as doing ‘very good.’
Concialdi has noted that fire crews will remain on site for ‘a number of days’ even with the evacuation orders now lifted.
‘We don’t want a rekindle,’ Concialdi said, pointing to the Santa Ana winds.
‘Right now, because there are some embers, there are some hot spots, we don’t want those embers to then catch a palm tree or some vegetation in another area or next to homes,’ he added.
The Norte Fire is one of 10 wildfires that have not been contained in California, according to the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The closest fires are the Peak Fire, which started in Azusa, and the Bryson Fire in Malibu.
