Most evacuation orders related to the Norte fire in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano were lifted by Saturday evening, as firefighters increased containment of the blaze to 25%. This allowed approximately 3,700 residents who had been under evacuation to return to their homes on Saturday morning.
The Norte fire, which broke out on Friday afternoon in Orange County, scorched more than 570 acres in residential neighborhoods of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. The blaze damaged or destroyed at least six homes, hollowing out several stately residences on Via La Mirada and spreading west into nearby gated communities. The San Juan Capistrano Boys and Girls Club served as an evacuation center for those displaced, including German travelers Luis Widmesser and Lukas Holzer, both 19, whose cross-country trip was rerouted by the fires.
Amid unusual heat and strong winds across Southern California, hundreds of firefighters worked to contain several fires. In Orange County, fire crews began to gain control of the Norte fire throughout Saturday afternoon, successfully keeping the flames within the existing burn scar and establishing containment lines. Captain Sean Doran, a spokesperson with the Orange County Fire Authority, expressed gratitude for favorable conditions, stating, “We’re thankful enough that the wind conditions allowed those air assets to continue flying the entire time, which was a gift.”
Residents recounted dramatic escapes. Susan Kannakko, 51, who lives on Calle Delgado in San Clemente, described the fire rushing down the hill toward her house without warning. “It was like out of a movie, when the spaceship comes in, and everything goes black,” she said, noting embers had entered her home. Luke Falanga, 30, a housemate, spotted the fire first, observing that the sun's color changed due to smoke. He and another housemate stayed to protect the house, using “giant jugs of water and garden hoses” and removing “smoldering shingles off with crowbars” as the roof caught fire.
San Clemente Mayor Rick Loeffler advised residents to heed evacuations and avoid local roads unless necessary, to facilitate first responder movement. In a Friday statement, Mayor Loeffler commended the efforts, saying, “The firefighters have done a great job.”
The Red Flag Warning from the National Weather Service, indicating hazardous fire weather, expired by 6 p.m. Saturday, with forecasters anticipating a decrease in dangerous conditions. Sam Zuber, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in San Diego, stated, “Luckily, we’re on the backside of the winds right now, so things are going to be trending down for the most part.” Temperatures in the fire area were in the mid-80s on Saturday morning, with winds at approximately 15 mph, forecast to diminish throughout the day.
While nearly all evacuation orders were lifted, fire officials announced in a social media post on Saturday evening that Via La Mirada north of Esperanza would remain closed to vehicles due to the ongoing presence of emergency crews. Tens of thousands of residents in the region were without power on Saturday, attributed to blustery conditions, active fires, and precautionary shutoffs by utility providers. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued smoke advisories for areas including portions of Newport Beach to San Clemente because of the Norte fire.
Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California secured emergency disaster assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide additional resources for suppressing the Norte fire. In a statement, Governor Newsom affirmed, “By securing this federal assistance, we are ensuring our local and state partners have the critical resources they need to aggressively fight the Norte Fire, protect lives and property, and keep Californians safe.”
While the Norte fire was deemed the most devastating blaze in the region, other fires also saw progress. In northern San Diego County, the Henderson fire, which destroyed at least one building across more than 3,100 acres near Camp Pendleton, reached 50% containment. In Los Angeles County, the Bryson fire in the Santa Monica Mountains burned nearly 150 acres and was more than 50% contained, with all evacuation orders and warnings lifted by Saturday evening, and no homes or structures damaged.
