Three wildfires are burning across Southern California, destroying homes and forcing evacuations as Santa Ana winds drive rapid fire spread across the region.
The Norte Fire in Orange County grew to 570 acres by Saturday morning with only 5% containment after erupting Friday. It damaged or destroyed six homes in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, south of Los Angeles. One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion while battling the blaze. Division 3 Fire Chief Mark Backoff said additional resources were being deployed. The US National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for several California counties, citing strong gusty winds, low humidity and dry vegetation that create critical wildfire conditions.
The Bryson Fire in Malibu, Los Angeles County, has grown to 147 acres with 52% containment. More than 400 firefighters are engaged. Evacuation orders cover the Santa Monica mountains.
Further south, the Henderson Fire in San Diego County has burned over 3,100 acres, including areas near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, with about 35% contained as of Saturday morning. The fire twice forced closure of Interstate 5, a major West Coast highway.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports 10 wildfires burning across the state. Santa Ana winds, which normally occur from late September through May, peaked Friday but remain dangerous into early Saturday morning. Wind gusts exceeded 40 miles per hour in the Los Angeles area, the National Weather Service said. Officials warned motorists to watch for debris blown into roadways.
Temperatures are running far above average for this time of year. The National Weather Service issued a heat advisory, forecasting temperatures reaching 95 degrees Fahrenheit in Southern California on Saturday and warning that heat-related illness risk remains high.