New Wildfire in Southern California Explodes in Size, Burning Multiple Homes
Fire agencies are staging engines, crews and aircraft as winds could gust to 70 mph and power shutoffs may affect more than 220,000 customers.
- On Friday, October 16, 2026, the wind-driven Norte Fire ignited in San Clemente and rapidly spread into San Juan Capistrano, reaching 465 acres and engulfing multiple homes in the coastal communities.
- Dry, gusty Santa Ana winds blowing from Southern California's interior toward the coast fueled the blaze, creating what the National Weather Service described as a critical fire weather threat.
- More than 175,000 customers across California lost electricity Friday as utility companies proactively shut off power to prevent blazes, while television footage documented multiple homes engulfed in flames in San Juan Capistrano.
- The Orange County Fire Authority opened evacuation shelters in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, urging residents under mandatory orders to "leave now" as firefighters worked to contain the rapidly spreading fire.
- National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld warned that elevated fire risks will persist through Saturday night, urging the public to remain vigilant as strong winds continue driving rapid fire spread across the region.
135 Articles
135 Articles
US: Homes burned in California as wildfires rage
At least six expensive properties have been engulfed by fast-spreading wildfires on the southern coast of California, prompting thousands of people to evacuate. The Orange County Fire Authority said on X that the so-called Norte fire had scorched about 465 acres (188 hectares) and that at least four homes had been impacted in the affluent San Juan Capistrano municipality. Division 3 Fire Chief Mark Backoff provides an update on the Norte Fire, c…
Wind-driven Norte Fire burns homes, threatens hundreds more in Southern California
A fast-moving wildfire burned several homes and threatened hundreds more in Southern California on Friday, as strong Santa Ana winds fueled its spread across parts of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. The Norte Fire grew to 465 acres and remained 0% contained as of 4 p.m. Friday, according to fire officials. At least 6 […]
Homes Go Up in Flames as California Wildfire Spreads Across 465 Acres
A wildfire driven by Santa Ana winds burned 465 acres and damaged or destroyed at least six homes Friday as residents fled neighborhoods in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, California.
At least six homes have been destroyed or severely damaged in the fast-moving Norte Fire in Southern California. The flames started near San Clemente in Orange County and have spread to neighboring San Juan Capistrano, the Associated Press reported. The fire has burned an estimated 465 acres, or 1.9 square kilometers. More than 500 firefighters are battling the blaze, while television footage showed two-story homes on fire and flames shooting fr…
The Epoch Times
Evacuation Orders Issued as Wildfire Burns Homes in Southern California
Firefighters work to save structures on Via La Mirada during the Norte fire in San Clemente, Calif., on Oct. 16, 2026. (Paul Bersebach/The Orange County Register via AP)
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