Multiple fast-moving wildfires burn across Southern California amid Santa Ana winds
Three major fires have destroyed homes and forced evacuations across Orange, Los Angeles, and San Diego counties as dangerous winds and above-average temperatures drive rapid spread.
What happened
The Norte Fire erupted Friday in Orange County and grew to 465 acres by evening, destroying or damaging six homes in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. The Bryson Fire in Malibu has grown to 147 acres and prompted evacuation orders across the Santa Monica mountains, with over 400 firefighters engaged. The Henderson Fire in San Diego County, which began Thursday, has grown to over 2,000 acres including areas near Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and has twice forced closure of the I-5 highway. A firefighter suffered heat exhaustion while battling the Norte Fire. Santa Ana winds exceeded 40 mph in the Los Angeles area on Friday and are forecast to remain dangerous into early Saturday morning. Thirteen fires are burning across California overall.
Context
The fires are being driven by a combination of dangerous environmental conditions: fierce Santa Ana winds normally occurring in cooler months, temperatures far above seasonal averages (reaching 95°F in Southern California), and low humidity with dry vegetation. The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for several California counties due to these critical wildfire spread conditions, and a heat advisory due to high risk of heat-related illness. The fires affect major transportation infrastructure and communities across a densely populated region, with evacuation orders in effect across multiple areas.