Coastal Fire Destroys Laguna Niguel Homes; 200+ Acres Burned

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — A wind-driven 200-acre wildfire tore through an upscale Laguna Niguel neighborhood Wednesday, forcing hundreds to flee and destroying nearly 20 homes in under four hours.

The blaze dubbed the Coastal Fire, began in the area around Aliso Canyon & Wilderness Park between the cities of Laguna Beach and Laguna Niguel, the Orange County Fire Authority said. The fire prompted mandatory evacuations for three communities in Laguna Niguel and evacuation warnings for Laguna Beach as of 6:35 p.m.

Thick plumes of smoke could be seen across Orange County, and residents in the Laguna Hills area remained on edge as up to 30-mile an hour wind gusts sent flames roaring up the parched hillsides where multi-million dollar homes sit perched above the canyon.

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Huge chunks of burning debris wafted through the air swirling around firefighters as they took up defensive positions around homes. As of 7 p.m., the homes destroyed were largely on the odd side of the street on Coronado Pointe along with at least one home on nearby Vista Court, NBC reported.

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The evacuation order impacts Laguna Niguel communities in Coronado Pointe Drive, Vista Court and Via La Rosa in the Pacific Island area of the city, according to the Orange County Sheriff's Department.

Deputies and firefighters went door-to-door to evacuate the residents of about 100 homes before the flames began chewing through houses. Deputies were asking residents on San Simeon, Sierrra Vista, Alta Terra, Nucella, Serana, Avante, Tanarron, Teracina, Islands Avenue, Capri Court, Sunrisa Lane, Chapala Court, Arelu Court and Anamonte to evacuate.

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Soon after the evacuations, many residents would see their homes burning up on television. One after another, fire-ravaged roofs caved in while crews doused water upon neighboring homes to stop the spread of the flames. Eerily, embers caused some homes to erupt in flames while others appeared unaffected by the blaze around them. The iconic palm trees dotting the coastal community helped spread embers to rooftops.

Sara Nuss-Galles, who lives on Via Estoril, told the Los Angeles Times she watched the fire grow for more than an hour before she evacuated the area.

"My clothes smell from the hour I spent in the house," Nuss-Galles told The Times. "It's just plumes of smoke. It's very scary."

The cause of the fire was under investigation. Southern California Edison, which has personnel and investigators on the scene, has sent a letter to the state Public Utilities Commission regarding "circuit activity occurring close in time to the reported time" of the fire, CBS 2 reported.

For a real-time evacuation update map, visit the OCSD's website. The City of Laguna Beach also published a real-time evacuation warning map.

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Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said he expects conditions to aid firefighters in slowing the progress of the fire overnight with the help of crews from around Southern California.

“This has been a very robust response," said Fennessy. "We are starting to get a better handle on the fire now, and we expect that we are going to make great progress throughout the night."

There has been no report of any injuries among firefighters or residents, he said. Wind gusts began to die down as the sun set over the fire. It was the wind that drove the fire sending embers deep into the canyons and high up into the palm trees, said Fennessy.

"The winds we experienced today are not unusual. These are not Santa Ana winds, these are coastal winds that we experience generally every day," said Fennessy. "The big difference is — and we are seeing it again with climate change — the fuels in this county, throughout Southern California, and throughout the West are so dry that a fire like this is going to be more commonplace."

Just 5 years ago, a fire like this likely could have been stopped before becoming so destructive, he added.

"With the wind behind it, and the fuel as dry as it is today, you’re going to see fires run on us," he added. "This has become our norm. So, you can expect more and more of this."

In response to the fire, Laguna Niguel declared a state of emergency, said Mayor Elaine Gennawey. The local water district also asked residents throughout the city to reduce water usage while crews use the limited resource to fight the flames.

Temporary shelter is available for evacuated Laguna Niguel and Laguna Hills residents at Crown Valley Community Center, 29751 Crown Valley Pkwy. For questions, residents are asked to call 949-362-4300. As of 7 p.m., more than two dozen residents and their pets had taken refuge at the shelter, Gennawey said. Local restaurants had volunteered to feed those forced to flee, and community members were already rallying to help those grappling with the loss of their homes.

In nearby Laguna Beach, evacuations remained voluntary as of 8:30 p.m. In a city with a long history of tragic wildfires, residents remained alert to possible changes in the direction of the fire Wednesday night.

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At 2:40 p.m., The Ranch at Laguna Beach resort and golf course was evacuated as a precaution. Laguna Beach city officials also issued a voluntary evacuation for the Balboa Nyes neighborhood at 4:13 p.m.

The fire did not pose a threat to communities in Laguna Beach as of 6:50 p.m., Laguna Beach Fire Chief Mike Garcia said in a statement.

"A Voluntary Evacuation means that there is a potential threat to life and property. People and their pets in the Voluntary Evacuation area need to make preparations should an Immediate Evacuation Order be issued," A spokesperson for the City of Laguna Beach told Patch. "Individuals with disabilities and access or functional needs should consider leaving now. If you, a family member, or a neighbor is blind, deaf, or hard of hearing, please notify them of the situation if possible."

Aliso Woods Canyon and Wilderness Park was closed to the public due to the blaze, a spokesperson for Orange County Parks said.

The fire erupted near the Ranch at Laguna Beach shortly before 3 p.m., according to authorities.

From there, the fire quickly spread east toward Aliso Summit Trail and into neighboring Laguna Niguel, authorities said.

The Orange County Fire Authority is working in unified command with the Laguna Beach Fire Department and the Laguna Beach Police Department to control the flames, a news release for the City of Laguna Beach said. Several departments across south Orange County also provided crews to quell the blaze.

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Patch Staffer Paige Austin and City News Service contributed to this report.