California’s Norte Fire damaged or destroyed 6 homes — Al Jazeera

In the United States, the Norte Fire in Orange County, California, damaged or destroyed at least six homes in the San Juan Capistrano area. Due to the rapid spread of the fire, evacuation orders were issued for about 6,000 homes, where approximately 16,000 people live.

Evacuation and firefighting

The fire started in the coastal city of San Clemente on Friday and later spread to San Juan Capistrano. Evacuation shelters were opened in both cities. Helicopters attempted to extinguish the flames from the air.

The Orange County Fire Authority said the fire had burned about 188 hectares. At the same time, Cal Fire estimated the fire’s area at approximately 231 hectares by the evening. Rescuers fought the fire from the ground and air and urged people not to approach the danger zone, Al Jazeera reports.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Heat and Santa Ana winds

The rapid spread of the fire was fueled by unusually high temperatures, low humidity, and strong Santa Ana winds. According to meteorologists, gusts in coastal areas reached from 55 to 90 km/h. The strongest winds were expected on Friday, while high temperatures and low humidity could persist until Saturday night.

In neighboring Los Angeles County, tens of thousands of people were left without electricity as authorities sought to reduce the risk of electrical sparks that could spread due to strong wind gusts. Firefighters were also battling the Bryson Fire near Malibu and the Henderson Fire in San Diego County. The latter affected the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base and caused freeway closures.