Norte fire tears through San Juan Capistrano, forces evacuations

A wind driven wildfire that started in San Clemente has burned about 465 acres, reached homes in neighbouring San Juan Capistrano and forced thousands of people to evacuate.

Why it matters: Santa Ana winds of up to 70 miles per hour are forecast to keep fire risk high across the Los Angeles, Ventura, San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara county highlands, with preventive power shutoffs under way.

Data as of Deutsche Welle report published October 17, 2026 and read in full via live browser; single source, relaying Orange County Fire Authority posts and agency reporting, so evacuation and acreage figures are provisional. The authority said at least four homes had been impacted; the report's summary described at least six properties as engulfed.

The Norte fire started in the coastal city of San Clemente, California, and Santa Ana winds drove it into San Juan Capistrano, where the Orange County Fire Authority said at least four homes had been impacted. The authority put the burned area at about 465 acres, said crews were attacking the fire from the ground and the air, and repeated requests for people to stay clear of the area. Thousands of residents have been evacuated, and thousands are without electricity after authorities cut power preventively so that wind gusts cannot carry sparks from electrical lines.

The National Weather Service warned of a high risk of large fires and rapid fire growth, with gusts of 50 to 70 miles per hour in the mountains and 35 to 55 in coastal and valley areas, alongside low humidity and unseasonably high temperatures.

Norte fire tears through San Juan Capistrano, forces evacuations

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