A wildfire, dubbed the Norte Fire, rapidly spread across hundreds of acres straddling San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano on Friday, destroying or damaging several multimillion-dollar homes and prompting widespread evacuation orders. As of Saturday, the blaze remained 0% contained.
The fire originated in the area of Portico Del Norte around 11:30 a.m. Friday, according to the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). Fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, it escalated quickly, growing to 250 acres within an hour and scorching at least 465 acres by early afternoon. Cal Fire later announced at 7:27 p.m. that the blaze had expanded to 570 acres.
Fire crews on the ground, supported by water-dropping aircraft, were deployed to combat the conflagration, with additional strike teams summoned as the fire grew rapidly. Although no containment was reported as of 9:20 p.m. Friday, fire activity had noticeably diminished by day’s end, with firefighters concentrating on homes that were still burning. Cal Fire announced early Saturday that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to ensure critical resources are available for suppression efforts.
OCFA Division Three Fire Chief Mark Backhoff reported that six homes were “damaged or destroyed” by the fire. He stated, “Our hearts go out to the folks impacted by that.” The structures affected were generally located in the area of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano. Video from the scene depicted flames burning through the roofs of multiple structures.
The wind-whipped blaze necessitated evacuation orders in several neighborhoods across San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, specifically for streets from Camino Las Ramblas down to the San Diego (5) Freeway. San Clemente Chief of Police Services Justin Chevalier indicated that approximately 6,000 homes and 16,000 residents were under evacuation orders. Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley advised residents, “If you can see the smoke and the fire then you need to evacuate,” noting that evacuation orders covered most of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente.
Two firefighters sustained heat-related injuries while battling the blaze. Chief Backhoff confirmed one firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, and OCFA Capt. Greg Barta reported a second firefighter with heat-related injuries. Both were transported to a hospital for treatment, with Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Steve Concialdi later stating that one of the hospitalized firefighters was “doing good right now.”
Captain Concialdi encouraged residents to sign up for Alert OC emergency notifications, using the fire as a reminder. He anticipates fierce winds will continue through Saturday, but noted that dipping temperatures Friday night would aid firefighters. He added that firefighting helicopters have not been impeded by the wind. While expressing disappointment over the six scorched homes, Captain Concialdi also stated that “hundreds of thousands” of other homes were protected. He expects firefighters to remain on scene for several days to prevent rekindling, especially from embers catching nearby vegetation or structures. The Santa Ana winds were identified as the primary risk heading into Saturday, with expectations for winds to slow and for rain to provide assistance.
In response to the fire, the Camino Capistrano off-ramp from the northbound San Diego Freeway was closed. Evacuation centers were established at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center and the San Clemente Community Center. An additional shelter at the Boys & Girls Club in San Juan Capistrano confirmed that animals, along with residents’ medications, were allowed, though unsolicited donations would not be accepted. Orange County Animal Care in Tustin also opened its facility to shelter dogs, cats, and other small pets.
The Capistrano Unified School District announced early dismissals for students at multiple schools due to the fire, including Bernice Ayer, Clarence Lobo, Concordia, Harold Ambuehl, Palisades, San Clemente, San Juan Hills, Shorecliffs, Truman Benedict, and Vista Del Mar.
