SANTA ANA, Calif. — Powerful winds pushed California fires through upscale neighborhoods in Southern California on Friday, destroying at least six homes and prompting thousands to flee, according to local officials.
Thick black smoke rose over tennis courts and swimming pools as firefighters battled flames in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. Some residents briefly tried to defend properties with garden hoses before complying with evacuation orders.
Authorities said two firefighters were hospitalized with heat-related injuries. The blaze remained under a square mile by Friday evening, and officials had not determined a cause.
“Had these winds been a little bit stronger, a little bit different direction, this could have been a whole lot worse,” San Clemente Mayor Rick Loeffler said.
San Juan Capistrano Councilmember Howard Hart said he and his wife sprayed their roof and moved propane tanks before evacuating with an emergency bag. Laura Hart said that in more than five decades living in the area, she had never faced a wildfire evacuation.
California fires driven by Santa Ana winds
The Norte fire began in San Clemente and was carried by wind into neighboring San Juan Capistrano. Evacuation shelters were opened in both cities. By Friday night, about 16,000 residents had been ordered to leave, said Fire Chief TJ McGovern of the Orange County Fire Authority.
The incident was among several California fires fueled by dry, warm Santa Ana winds blowing from inland areas toward the coast. Forecasters expected the strongest gusts through Friday afternoon, but elevated fire weather conditions were set to continue through Saturday night. A heat advisory was in effect along the Orange County and San Diego County coast until 8 p.m. Saturday, the National Weather Service said.
Utilities shut off electricity to reduce ignition risks, leaving tens of thousands without power. Separately, a fire near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton closed a stretch of Interstate 5 for hours, disrupting a key corridor between Orange County and San Diego and leading to lengthy delays across the region.
Hillsides encircle the coastal communities. San Juan Capistrano, population 35,000, is known for its equestrian trails and the historic Mission San Juan Capistrano. San Clemente, home to about 62,000 people, brands itself the “Spanish village by the sea” and draws beachgoers and surfers.
“The fire is right up on the city,” San Clemente Councilmember Victor Cabral said. “It’s on the perimeter of our homes on the north end.”
Nine schools in San Juan Capistrano were closed Friday, the Capistrano Unified School District said.
Residents across nearby cities reported darkened skies and heavy smoke. Shannon Needham of Wyoming, visiting her mother at an assisted living facility in Dana Point, said the director had buses on standby in case of evacuation.
“You could hear the fire trucks, you could hear the helicopters and everything above. And it was so smoky, it was just dark smoke,” Needham said.
Officials noted that some of the state’s most destructive wildfires have been sparked by electrical equipment, and utilities have increasingly cut power proactively during wind events. More than 118,000 customers statewide lacked electricity as of Friday, according to a power outage tracker.
The National Weather Service also issued a red flag warning for parts of central and Northern California through Friday morning, warning that any new ignitions could spread rapidly.