LOS ANGELES, CA – The Norte Fire, a wind-driven wildfire that began in San Clemente and spread into San Juan Capistrano, grew to 465 acres and prompted evacuation orders for five zones Friday, according to CAL FIRE and the Orange County Fire Authority.
The fire started at 11:33 a.m. Friday, Oct. 16, at Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte in San Clemente, according to CAL FIRE’s incident page for the fire. The page listed it at 10 acres at 12:04 p.m. and at 465 acres as of 2:39 p.m.
The Orange County Fire Authority, or OCFA, has jurisdiction over the fire, and the cause is under investigation.
OCFA said six homes were damaged or destroyed and two firefighters were hospitalized. At an evening news conference, the agency said crews had knocked down most of the fire by about 5:45 p.m.
Fire grows from 10 acres to 465 acres
The fire ignited just after 11:30 a.m. in the San Clemente area, south of San Juan Capistrano, according to the Governor’s Office. Within about half an hour of its start, CAL FIRE listed it at 10 acres.
By 2:39 p.m., the listed size was 465 acres. OCFA said the fire was 0% contained earlier in the afternoon, before crews knocked down most of it.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a post Friday that high Santa Ana winds were part of the conditions crews faced. “Remain vigilant and listen to emergency officials as we continue to face high Santa Ana winds and work to suppress the Norte Fire in Orange County,” he wrote.
CAL FIRE’s page said an air tanker dropped retardant on the fire.
Evacuation orders cover five zones
CAL FIRE’s page said evacuation orders were in place for San Clemente Zones 12 and 13 and San Juan Capistrano Zones 4, 5 and 10. It lists them as “Zones SCL12, SCL13, SJC04, SJC05, SJC10.”
The Governor’s Office said the fire threatened nearly 13,000 people, with evacuation orders and warnings in place for 4,000 homes. The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said it was working with local officials and that its fire engines were assisting. It urged anyone under an order to leave immediately.
Orange County Supervisor Vice Chair Katrina Foley urged residents to leave in interviews Friday. “This is not a show. This is real life and it’s dangerous,” she said, and she asked people to stay off Interstate 5.
Shelters open in two cities
Two shelters opened for evacuees, according to CAL FIRE. One is at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, 25925 Camino del Avion, and the other is at the San Clemente Community Center, 100 Calle Seville.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department posted a Norte Fire resource page that points residents to a public information map of evacuation zones. The page also lists the Public Information Hotline at 714-628-7085 and says OCFA posts updates on X.
Six homes damaged or destroyed
OCFA said six homes were damaged or destroyed. CAL FIRE’s page said four homes off Via La Mirada in San Juan Capistrano had been impacted.
The agencies did not say in the information available Friday how many of the homes were destroyed and how many were damaged.
Two firefighters hospitalized
OCFA said two firefighters were hospitalized with significant injuries and were in stable condition. The agency did not release their names or the circumstances of their injuries.
According to initial reports, more than 400 firefighters were deployed to the fire. Newsom directed Cal OES to preposition five fire engines, one bulldozer, one water tender, one helicopter and 45 additional personnel in Orange County on Oct. 15, the day before the fire started, according to the Governor’s Office statement on the federal grant.
Federal grant secured for the response
California secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to make additional resources available for the response, the Governor’s Office said. The State Operations Center was activated.
The grant lets local, state and tribal agencies apply for reimbursement of 75% of eligible fire suppression costs.
“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,” Newsom said in the statement.
Road closures, smoke and school impacts
The California Highway Patrol closed the Ortega Highway on-ramp to the southbound 5 Freeway because of the fire.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a wildfire smoke advisory through 10 a.m. Saturday. It said smoke would bring air quality that is unhealthy for sensitive groups to San Clemente, Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Laguna Niguel by Friday evening.
According to initial reports, 10 Capistrano Unified School District schools let students out early Friday, and sports and after-school programs were canceled.
CAL FIRE offers interactive 3D map
As firefighters worked to gain containment, CAL FIRE offered the public an interactive three-dimensional map of the fire. The map shows the fire perimeter, evacuation zones and aerial firefighting resources.
Users can also see the paths of firefighting helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, which move in real time.
Cause remains under investigation
The cause of the Norte Fire remains under investigation, and OCFA had not released a final containment figure after crews knocked down most of the fire. Residents under evacuation orders were directed to follow instructions from local officials and to check the Sheriff’s Department’s public information map for current zones.
