All evacuation orders have been lifted for the 570-acre Norte Fire in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, as containment of the fire grew to 50% Sunday.
The fire broke out at about 11:30 a.m. Friday in the area of Portico Del Norte, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, it grew to 250 acres within an hour and destroyed or damaged seven homes on Friday.
A total of 467 firefighters remain assigned to the firefighting effort on Sunday morning, working to strengthen containment lines and extinguish hot spots.
OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi said firefighters expected to remain in the area for several days to prevent the fire from rekindling.
“We’re going to be here for a number of days. We don’t want rekindling,” Concialdi said. “We don’t want those embers to then catch a palm tree or some vegetation in another area or next to homes.”
The wind-whipped blaze prompted evacuation orders in multiple neighborhoods of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, including streets off Camino Las Ramblas down to the San Diego (5) Freeway. According to San Clemente Chief of Police Services Justin Chevalier, approximately 6,000 homes and 16,000 residents were initially reported under evacuation orders.
Some evacuation orders were lifted Saturday morning, allowing evacuated San Clemente residents to return. Partial repopulation in San Juan Capistrano initially included the Stallion Ridge community, San Juan Hills High School and the landfill off La Pata, before the remaining evacuation orders were lifted Saturday evening.
Evacuation centers were established at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center at 25925 Camino del Avion and San Clemente Community Center at 100 Calle Seville.
A shelter was also established at the Boys & Girls Club in San Juan Capistrano at 1 Via Positiva. Orange County Animal Care in Tustin was available to shelter pets.
The Capistrano Unified School District dismissed students early Friday at multiple schools, including Bernice Ayer, Clarence Lobo, Concordia, Harold Ambuehl, Palisades, San Clemente, San Juan Hills, Shorecliffs, Truman Benedict and Vista Del Mar.
California secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure critical resources were available to suppress the fire, Cal Fire announced early Saturday.
Airbnb said it was providing free emergency housing to residents displaced by the wildfire through a partnership with 211OC, a service of Orange County United Way. Residents needing assistance could dial 211 for information about available resources.
Concialdi encouraged residents to use the fire as a reminder to sign up for Alert OC emergency notifications, which they can do at AlertOC.org.
Via La Mirada remained closed to vehicle traffic north of Esperanza to allow OCFA emergency vehicles to continue working. The burn scar remained closed until further notice because it was still considered an active fire hazard area.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
