Norte Fire burns homes, forces evacuations in Orange County

The Big Picture

A fast-moving wildfire that began Friday in coastal San Clemente swept into neighboring San Juan Capistrano, damaging or destroying at least six homes and forcing thousands of people from their homes as Santa Ana winds intensified fire danger across Southern California.

The Norte Fire was among 13 fires burning statewide, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The blaze came during a period of high temperatures, low humidity and dry vegetation, conditions that officials said could allow fires to spread quickly through Saturday night.

What Happened

The Norte Fire started in San Clemente on Friday and was pushed toward San Juan Capistrano by strong winds. By Friday evening, evacuation orders covered about 6,000 homes and 16,000 residents, according to the Orange County Fire Authority and reports from Al Jazeera and NPR. Shelters were opened in both cities.

The Orange County Fire Authority said the fire had burned about 465 acres by Friday evening. A later Cal Fire estimate cited by Al Jazeera put the fire at about 570 acres, illustrating the difficulty of measuring a fast-changing fire perimeter during an active response.

Firefighters attacked the blaze from the ground and air, the Orange County Fire Authority said. Division 3 Fire Chief Mark Backoff said six homes had been damaged or destroyed and that additional resources were arriving.

Reports differed on injuries among firefighting personnel. The BBC reported that one firefighter suffered heat exhaustion, while NPR reported that two firefighters were taken to a hospital with heat-related injuries. The cause of the Norte Fire had not been announced as of Friday evening.

Why It Matters

The fire reached communities in a densely populated coastal part of Orange County, where homes sit near dry hillsides. NPR reported that nine schools in San Juan Capistrano were closed Friday, according to the Capistrano Unified School District.

Utilities also carried out preventive power shutoffs intended to reduce the risk that wind-driven electrical sparks could ignite fires. More than 118,000 California electricity customers were without power Friday, according to PowerOutage.com, as cited by NPR.

The weather raised risks beyond the Norte Fire. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for areas of California, citing strong gusts, low humidity and dry vegetation. It also issued a heat advisory for coastal Orange and San Diego counties, where temperatures were forecast to reach about 95F on Saturday.

Background

Santa Ana winds are warm, dry gusts that blow from the interior toward the Southern California coast, often arriving when vegetation is especially dry after months with little rain. Forecasters reported coastal winds of roughly 35 mph to 55 mph, while the National Weather Service said gusts topped 40 mph in the Los Angeles area.

Officials said the strongest winds were expected Friday, but high heat and low humidity were expected to keep fire conditions hazardous through Saturday night.

What Happens Next

Fire crews were also battling other significant Southern California fires. The Bryson Fire near Malibu had burned about 147 acres and was 17% contained as of Friday, according to Cal Fire. It prompted evacuation orders in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Farther south, the Henderson Fire in San Diego County had burned about 2,080 acres and was 20% contained by Friday, Cal Fire said. The fire affected Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and prompted closures on Interstate 5, a major route between Orange County and San Diego.

Residents in or near evacuation areas were urged by local authorities to follow official instructions and stay clear of active fire zones while crews continued containment work.