SAN CLEMENTE, CA — Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, a wildfire exploded across hundreds of acres straddling San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, destroying several multimillion-dollar homes and prompting widespread evacuation orders and freeway closures all in a matter of hours.
RELATED: San Clemente Fire Map: See Norte Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas
Orange County firefighters were battling steep terrain and gusty conditions in both San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano early Friday afternoon.
By Friday evening, Orange County firefighters confirmed that six homes had been either damaged or destroyed by the flames.
Cal Fire announced at 7:27 p.m. the blaze had grown to 570 acres.
Crews battled the fire on the ground and with the assistance of water- dropping aircraft, with additional strike teams summoned to the scene as the conflagration grew rapidly.
Although no containment was listed as of 9:20 p.m., fire activity was noticeably diminished by day's end, with fire crews focused on homes that were still burning.
OCFA Division Three Fire Chief Mark Backhoff said six homes were "damaged or destroyed" by the fire.
"Our hearts go out to the folks impacted by that," Backhoff said.
One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, he said.
A second firefighter sustained heat-related injuries, OCFA Capt. Greg Barta said at an evening news conference.
Reports from the scene indicated at least eight structures were burned as the fire rapidly grew in size, with affected structures generally in the area of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano.
Video from the scene showed flames burning through the roofs of multiple structures in the area. It was unclear exactly how many homes were affected, but additional burning homes were spotted as the afternoon wore on.
Howard Hart, a councilmember for San Juan Capistrano, said he and his wife doused their roof with water and moved propane tanks away from their home before they evacuated Friday with a to-go bag.
Laura Hart hasn't had to evacuate due to fire in the more than five decades she's lived in the community, she said.
"This doesn't usually happen to us, we usually see it on the news," she said. "We always pray to God it's not us, but yeah, it was today."
It was one of several fires in the region hit by dry, warm gusts known as Santa Anas, which blow from the interior and toward the coast. The strongest winds were expected through Friday afternoon but conditions that increase the fire risk were expected to last through Saturday night, with a heat advisory in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday on the Orange County and San Diego County coast, the National Weather Service said.
It was unclear exactly how many homes were affected, but additional burning homes were spotted as the afternoon wore on, with several of the structures gutted by the flames.
According to KTLA meteorologist Kaj Goldberg, the strong Santa Ana winds are pushing flames from the Norte Fire in a west-southwesterly direction toward the coastline, where many cities are nestled along the beaches.
By 2:25 p.m., Orange County firefighters reported on X that the fire was spreading.
"The fire continues to grow," firefighters said. "Please avoid the area."
By 2:40 p.m. Friday, Orange County firefighters estimated the fire to be at roughly 465 acres with 0 percent containment.
The first fire ignited at around 11:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Portico Del Norte and has since been dubbed the Norte Fire, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.
Within an hour it grew to 250 acres, and by early afternoon it had scorched at least 465 acres.
According to ABC7, firefighters told the outlet that they received word of the flames initially from hikers who had been traversing the area.
At 12:40 p.m., a second brush fire had ignited near Via La Mirada in San Juan Capistrano, near the scene of the Norte Fire, firefighters said. Officials subsequently considered it part of the Norte Fire.
Evacuation orders were issued for San Juan Zones 4, 5 and 10 and San Clemente Zone 12 and 13.
"If you are in one of these zones, leave immediately," firefighters said.
Multiple structures were reported to be under immediate threat by both fires, and residents under evacuation orders were urged to leave their homes.
"If you can see the smoke and the fire then you need to evacuate," Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley told City News Service.
The evacuation orders cover most of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, Foley said.
A portion of the northbound San Diego (5) Freeway in the area was closed as the flames advanced toward the roadway, Foley said.
Crews were battling the fire on the ground and with the assistance of water-dropping aircraft, with additional strike teams summoned to the scene as the conflagration grew rapidly.
The wildfire outbreak prompted Capistrano Unified School District officials to dismiss several nearby schools early, including Bernice Ayer, Clarence Lobo, Concordia, Harold Ambuehl, Palisades, San Clemente, San Juan Hills, Shorecliffs, Truman Benedict and Vista Del Mar.
"We are continuing to monitor the situation and will update you on any new developments," district officials said in a statement.
Evacuation centers were set up at the following locations as a result of the Norte Fire, firefighters said.
Evacuated residents in need of shelter can go to the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino del Avion, or the San Clemente Community Center, 100 Calle Seville.
City News Service contributed to this post.
AMY TAXIN and OLGA R. RODRIGUEZ of the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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