A rapidly spreading wildfire in Orange County, Southern California, has swallowed several coastal properties and led to sweeping evacuation orders. The Orange County Fire Authority said on Friday that the Norte Fire had burned about 188 hectares (465 acres).
Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency, put the blaze at roughly 231 hectares (570 acres) by the evening. At least six homes in the San Juan Capistrano area were damaged or destroyed, according to the fire authority.
Norte Fire evacuations and firefighting response
The fire began in the coastal city of San Clemente on Friday before moving into San Juan Capistrano. By evening, some 6,000 homes and 16,000 residents were under evacuation orders.
Each city has opened an evacuation shelter. Helicopters are working to drop water on the flames, while ground crews are fighting the blaze alongside them. The fire authority also urged residents to stay out of the affected area.
Heat, humidity and Santa Ana winds drive growth
Unseasonably high temperatures and low humidity are fuelling the fast growth of the fire, the AFP news agency reported. The Norte Fire is one of several in the region driven by Santa Ana winds, which are warm, intense gusts that blow from the southwest US interior toward the California coast.
According to The Weather Channel, these winds usually arrive in autumn, when Southern California’s vegetation is at its driest after a long, rainless summer. Forecasters said winds reached between 55km/h and 90km/h (35mph and 55mph) in coastal areas. The strongest winds were expected through Friday, while the hot, dry conditions were forecast to last through Saturday night.
Power cuts and other fires across the region
Tens of thousands of people in Los Angeles County lost power as authorities tried to reduce the risk of electrical sparks being carried by the strong gusts. Firefighters were also battling the Bryson Fire, which broke out on Thursday on the outskirts of the Malibu beach community.
As of Friday, the Bryson Fire had burned about 59 hectares (147 acres) and was 17 percent contained, Cal Fire said. The Henderson Fire, in San Diego County, had burned 842 hectares (2,080 acres) and was 20 percent contained by Friday. It affected Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and led to freeway closures.
