A fast-moving wildfire, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds, swept across hundreds of acres straddling San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano on Friday, destroying several homes and prompting widespread evacuation orders. The blaze, which ignited around 11:30 a.m. in the area of Portico Del Norte, also affected traffic on the San Diego (5) Freeway and resulted in early dismissals for students in the Capistrano Unified School District.
Within an hour of its breakout, the fire had grown to 250 acres, according to the Orange County Fire Authority (OCFA). By early afternoon, it had scorched at least 465 acres. OCFA Division Three Fire Chief Mark Backhoff reported that six homes were “damaged or destroyed” by the blaze. These structures, including multimillion-dollar residences, were generally located in the areas of Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano. Video from the scene depicted flames burning through the roofs of multiple structures. Chief Backhoff stated that “Our hearts go out to the folks impacted by that.” One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, though there were no immediate reports of other serious injuries.
The wind-whipped fire quickly prompted evacuation orders for numerous neighborhoods in both San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. These orders covered streets off Camino Las Ramblas, extending down to the San Diego (5) Freeway. Orange County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Katrina Foley informed City News Service that the evacuation orders encompassed most of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, advising residents to evacuate if they could see the smoke and fire. In response to the emergency, the Camino Capistrano off-ramp from the northbound San Diego (5) Freeway was closed. Evacuation centers were established at the San Juan Capistrano Community Center, located at 25925 Camino del Avion, and the San Clemente Community Center, at 100 Calle Seville.
The Capistrano Unified School District announced early dismissals for students at multiple schools due to the wildfire. Affected campuses included Bernice Ayer, Clarence Lobo, Concordia, Harold Ambuehl, Palisades, San Clemente, San Juan Hills, Shorecliffs, Truman Benedict, and Vista Del Mar.
Fire crews battled the conflagration on the ground, supported by water-dropping aircraft. Additional strike teams were summoned to the scene as the blaze expanded rapidly. By late afternoon, fire activity was noticeably diminished, with crews focusing on homes that were still burning. No official containment for the fire was listed as of late afternoon.
