Brush fires set homes ablaze in southern California as it braces for more hot weather

Hot, windy weather stokes fires in southern California with mandatory evacuation orders in place for many

A fast-moving brush fire has spread into neighborhoods in southern California as the region braces for more hot, windy weather that will amplify fire dangers through Saturday.

Several homes could be seen ablaze in video footage captured by local news helicopters as firefighters worked to wrangle the more than 465 acre Norte fire, which erupted in Orange county on Friday afternoon. Nine schools in the area dismissed early and mandatory evacuations were issued in parts of San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente, as the Orange county fire authority urged all residents under the order to leave quickly.

Just to the south, a blaze dubbed the Henderson fire, which erupted in San Diego Marine Corps training base Camp Pendleton on Thursday, swept across more than 2,000 acres by Friday afternoon

Videos of the incident shared by the California department of forestry and fire protection showed a wall of flames that thrashed in the strong winds alongside the Interstate 5. The major highway was closed in both directions by California Highway Patrol as plumes of thick black smoke clouded visibility.

A blaze in Malibu, west of Los Angeles, covered roughly 146 acres and was 17% contained on Friday. Evacuation orders and warnings for a large swathe of the Santa Monica Mountains were still in effect.

More than 285 firefighters battled the Bryson fire overnight, which threatened a Los Angeles county juvenile detention and rehabilitative facility.

Facing daytime highs of up to 92F (33C) with wind gusts reaching up to 65mph, fire officials said “crews will continue to protect structures and build containment” in a morning update, adding that fire progression and flare ups could occur under increasing winds. More than 7,200 structures remained under threat, but none have been reported damaged or destroyed by the Bryson fire.

Lindsey Horvath, the Los Angeles county supervisor, thanked firefighters “who held the line to make sure that despite these challenging winds, no lives or structures were put in harm’s way” by the blaze. asked local residents to keep roads clear to make it easier for emergency responders to operate.

There were “only minor injuries” to the more than 400 firefighters working to contain the Bryson blaze, Anthony Morrone, the Los Angeles fire chief, said during a press conference held on Friday morning.

The blazes broke out during a high wind event that has increased fire risks across southern California. Dry, warm and gusty north-east winds known as Santa Anas, which blow from the interior of southern California toward the coast and offshore, could continue through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, and the potential for extreme fire behavior and rapid spread may still rise.

“It’s a pretty widespread event of elevated fire weather, so the whole SoCal region should really be on alert,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

Fire hazards typically rise in southern California during this time of year, and risks are expected to remain high into November. If there aren’t significant rains, they could extend longer.

Because some of the state’s worst wildfires in recent years have been sparked by power equipment, utilities proactively shut off power to more than 150,000 customers across the state.

In Los Angeles, the city’s mayor, Karen Bass, who faced criticism for her city’s response to deadly fires in 2025, directed the fire department to deploy personnel and equipment ahead of the winds. The fire department also requested assistance from the state’s office of emergency services.

Schoenfeld said the Santa Ana winds are not going to be as strong as those that fueled a deadly firestorm in early 2025, that destroyed thousands of homes and killed more than 30 peoplewhen gusts reached up to 100mph.

“We are still in red flag conditions through 8pm [Saturday] evening,” Horvath said . “It’s important that we stay vigilant and stay prepared.”

Kaynak: The Guardian · Özgün metin İngilizcedir.