Wildfire burns at least 570 acres in Orange County, California, officials say
All evacuation orders lifted Saturday night after firefighters began containing a fast-spreading wildfire that burned more than 500 acres in Orange County, California, according to local authorities.
As of Saturday night, the Norte Fire was 25% contained after burning 570 acres, according to an update from the Orange County Fire Authority.
Crews surveying the damage confirmed seven homes were damaged or destroyed, the fire authority said.
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
At the peak, there were some 4,600 homes and nearly 16,000 people, in the evacuation zone, according to fire officials.
Earlier Saturday, fire official lifted evacuations for a zone in San Clemente and enacted a partial repopulation for a zone in San Juan Capistrano.
The Norte Fire ignited midday Friday in San Clemente.
"Due to weather and topography, this fire moved fast," Orange County Fire Authority Fire Chief T.J. McGovern said at a news conference Friday evening, calling the wind "relentless."
No residents were reported injured, but two firefighters were hurt, as of Friday, fire officials said.
Several schools in the area were dismissed early on Friday due to the fire "out of an abundance of caution," Capistrano Unified school officials said.
The fire came amid critical fire weather conditions in the region, including strong Santa Ana winds and high heat.
Red flag warnings were in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura counties and the Antelope Valley foothills through Saturday night.
This fire was burning about 20 miles north of the Henderson Fire at Camp Pendleton in San Diego County, which has burned 2,079 acres.
Some 400 firefighters were working to contain the fire with another 400 en route, officials said Friday.
