Southland/Santa Ana wind event—
Norte Fire burning in OC County #OCScanner Twitter/X
As predicted, the week-long Santa Ana event has swept through Southern California, bringing hot temperatures and powerful winds. The weather proved devastating for the communities of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente. A fast-moving brush fire kicked up today, quickly growing to nearly 500 acres and burning at least six homes.
At least one injury has been reported. By 5 pm, fire crews had stopped the forward motion of the wildfire, but there is damage and heartbreak for some homeowners.
Meanwhile, red flag warnings are in effect through tomorrow, Saturday, at 8 pm.
More on this OC fire here.
Division 3 Fire Chief Mark Backoff provides an update on the Norte Fire, currently estimated at 450+ acres.
For the latest updates, follow @OCFireAuthority on social media. Visit https://t.co/cBnkUlneGa for evacuation zone maps.
#NorteFire https://t.co/s3kSAC5fZq
— OCFA (@OCFireAuthority) October 16, 2026
New witness videos show flames and thick smoke as the Norte Fire swept through parts of south Orange County. The fire quickly expanded in size, damaging homes and prompting evacuation orders. https://t.co/M7ZAZKjldh https://t.co/vBHdtumeJX
— ABC7 Eyewitness News (@ABC7) October 17, 2026
