Fred Minegar, (mayor in 2020) immediately engaged and drove up and down the streets honking letting residents know, Cheryl Flohr said. The fire, which occurred in Laguna Niguel, was relatively small, but the wind drove embers into palm trees, attics and dense, dry brush on slopes and steep canyons that hadnt burned for decades, Brian Fennessy, chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, said at an evening news conference. A temporary shelter was set up at Crown Valley Community Center on Crown Valley Parkway. Join ourFacebook discussion. In the past week alone, extreme drought expanded from covering 40% to 60% of the state, the US Drought Monitor reported Thursday, and January to April were Californias driest first four months of the year on record. I was really surprised when I saw the smoke plume yesterday evening on my commute and wondered what was burning. The Evacuation Warning (Voluntary) is expected to be in place through the early Saturday, February 25. Fennessy said they expected to get better control of the fire overnight, and said fires like this will continue to unfold throughout Southern California. I didnt see smoke but then I got a knock on the door and it was the fire department. You just dont know what can happen.. OCFA also announced they were able to get 14 helicopters in the air over the fire this morning after winds died down last night, a major shift from yesterday when high winds kept helicopters down nearly the entire day. She spent a year freelancing investigative stories covering education, health and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Silveradoand Trabuco canyon areas along Live Oak Canyon are all under evacuation warning, but are not mandatory yet, per the Fire Authority. An official evacuation center has been set up at the Laguna Niguel Community Center on 29751 Crown Valley Parkway, and a hotline number for residents looking for information has been set up at 714-628-7085. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Dry brush and vegetation will increasingly feed fires like the one in Orange County, the county fire chief said. A mud and debris flow damaged several retaining walls on a hillside in Beverly Crest, prompting the closure of Mulholland Drive. Four people, including a juvenile, were found dead in a Brevard County OCFA is on scene of an approximate 3 acre vegetation fire in Aliso Woods Canyon. Share your thoughts in a community opinion piece. The couple made use of a list they created more than a decade ago that itemized what was important to them. The damage was made worse because the collapsing roof broke a sprinkler pipe, sending more water gushing into the clinic. Because of potential health risks from wildfire smoke, the South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a smoke advisory for parts of Orange County. Get Morning Report and other email newsletters. Sue Price walked into the community center with help from her two neighbors, Celinda Garza and Tara Whittaker. Orange County Animal Care encourages animal owners in voluntary evacuation areas to implement their personal evacuation plans at this time. Away from her pen, Erika runs, skis and enjoys all things ocean and outdoors. In Seal Beach, crews built up the tall sand berm put in place to protect oceanfront homes and Old Town. Smoke was seen pouring out of several houses that were eventually engulfed by flames in TV news helicopter footage broadcast live from the scene. The sound of live munitions exploding could be heard, making the fire-fighting efforts more dangerous. Farther north, a 2-acre blaze dubbed the Sycamore Fire is burning in Whittier, making an uphill run in medium to heavy fuels, with multiple structures threatened, LA County Fire tweeted. Experts are concerned with how early fires are striking this year in California, where fire seasons have historically peaked starting in late summer. The first report of a fire came from the Orange County Parks Department, who tweeted at 3:17 p.m. that Aliso and Wood Canyons Wilderness Park was closed due to the coastal fire. Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, OC students snowed in at science camps are coming home, Fountain Valley collision leaves one driver dead, another hospitalized, Irvine announces plan to buy, close asphalt plant and make a preserve, OC sheriffs deputies foil attempted jail escape, SoCalGas unveils $10 million to help customers hit by high prices, Orange County Sheriffs deputies foil attempted jail escape, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot concedes defeat, Denver just got a direct flight to this Caribbean island known for music history and vegetarian cooking, NYC Mayor Adams dismisses need to separate church and state, declares himself a servant of God, Zero-calorie sweetener linked to heart attack and stroke, study finds, Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information. (Photo by Patrick Smith, Contributing Photographer), Firefighters battle a brush fire in Laguna Niguel. Depending on conditions, the Evacuation Warning (Voluntary) may transition to Evacuation Order (Mandatory) with little or no notice, so residents leaving the area are encouraged to plan accordingly. https://t.co/LKm69a8SOu pic.twitter.com/DMz0OlQCKZ, FOX 11 Los Angeles (@FOXLA) May 12, 2022. A small wildfire that broke out Wednesday in brush near Laguna Niguel quickly grew to 200 acres in windy and dry conditions, burned about 20 homes and prompted the evacuation of nearby residences and a luxury resort, fire officials said. But now, fire is spreading in this very dry vegetation and taking off.. Their 48,500-square-foot home is in Palmea, the neighborhood next to hard-hit Coronado Pointe. Firefighters managed to salvage a wedding photo and returned it to the Moreys when the couple went back to their community. CNNs Rachel Ramirez, Angela Fritz, Chad Myers, Ella Nilsen, Stephanie Elam, Christina Maxouris, Aya Elamroussi, Sarah Moon and Eric Levenson contributed to this report. He enjoys photographing concerts and sporting events or jamming on one of his personally customized guitars in his free time. 55 minutes ago 4 found dead, including child, in Brevard County home, deputies say. Coast Highway remains open at this time, the city stated. By 10 a.m., fire officials said 1,000 firefighters are out fighting the Blue Ridge Fire, with 10 homes damaged. Nu c nhng s khc bit gia vn bn bng Anh ng v bn dch, bn Anh ng s l vn bn tt yu. To report storm-related issues with a County road or flood control channel, call the Orange County Public Works Storm Center at 714-955-0333 during flash flood events and emergencies when OC Public Works Department Operations Center is activated. Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said at a Wednesday night news conference that an estimated 20-plus homes had been destroyed. Approximately 10,000 people have been evacuated. A Battalion Chief on scene said water pressure and lack of water was hampering efforts to defend homes on Le Port and La Vue streets in Laguna Niguel. Many farmers are now selling their government-subsidized water for profit instead of using it to plant crops. Canyon residents are strongly encouraged to prepare and voluntarily evacuate on Friday, February 24 at 5:30 pm, especially those with disabilities, access and/or functional needs, and canyon residents with large animals. A fire that erupted in Orange Countys canyon country quickly jumped into the nearby hillsides Thursday, whipped by Santa Ana Mandatory evacuations were in effect in the Modjeska, Silverado and Williams Canyon areas, Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills west of El Toro and north of the 241 Toll Road. At 9:30 p.m. added a mandatory evacuation for the Portola Hills area, per the city of Lake Forest. We barely have grass.". For the latest evacuation information, residents were advised to follow these social media accounts: The fire was reported at 2:44 p.m. in Aliso Woods Canyon, near a water treatment facility, and swept rapidly up steep terrain. Al hacer clic en el botn Acepto, usted acepta que las pginas de este sitio web pasarn a estar en otros idiomas distintos al ingls. December 14, 2021 / 12:03 PM Four people, including a juvenile, were found dead in a Brevard County home, according to sheriffs office. A third fire dubbed the Imperial Fire became visible from the 405 Freeway in Hawthorne on Thursday afternoon and drew in firefighters, who quickly got the upper hand. PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. Any person with disabilities and those with access and/or functional needs requiring evacuation assistance should call Orange County Sheriffs Department Dispatch at 714-647-7000. The earlier fire grew to about 150 acres before it was extinguished. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. Copyright 2023 KABC Television, LLC. Record high temperatures this weekend 'are difficult for our firefighters'. SILVERADO CANYON, Calif. (KABC) -- As firefighters continued to battle a 6,400-acre brush fire amid dry and windy conditions in Orange County's Silverado Canyon on Friday, mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders remained in place. According to the city of Laguna Beach, the fire has burned at least 200 acres as of 7:56 p.m., racing out from three acres at 3:43 p.m., and there are at least 20 structures that are destroyed or partially collapsed according to Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy. There are no road closures in the Silverado and Williams Canyons at this time. About Voice of OC: Mission | Editorial Policies| Contact Us | Funding| Privacy Policy. Erika Ritchie is an award-winning staff writer for the Orange County Register and 10 other Southern California News Group newspapers. Both blazes promoted mass evacuations of more than 100,000 people throughout Orange County as fast-moving flames caused freeways to close. Overall, 2.5 million acres burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Erika has a comprehensive understanding of issues affecting South Orange County communities, including coastal access and the environment, the plight of marine mammal entanglements, water quality, development, local harbors and quality of life in Newport Beach, Laguna Beach, Dana Point, and San Clemente. Send us asecure tip. We strongly recommend using Edge, Chrome 70+, Safari 5.x+ and Firefox 5.x+. A Flash Flood Warning for the area was already issued for the area by the National Weather Service. Discovery Company. Irvine As of this evening, evacuation orders were lifted in the areas of Great Park Blvd north to Irvine Boulevard and the 133 Toll Road east to Portola High School, as well as the commercial area west of Bake Pkwy and south of Irvine Blvd to Toledo Way, according to an announcement Councilwoman Farrah Khan. The last public update on their condition was yesterday evening. pic.twitter.com/1n7p2o4AAG. This browser is no longer supported and some key features will not work. Discovery Company. Offshore winds and extremely dry air, combined with the heat, have created conditions ripe for brush fires. regional If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. All Rights Reserved. LA is under a rare wintertime heat advisory for the Super Bowl, We no longer have a fire season, we have a fire year, said Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy. The Coastal Fire is a graphic example that you dont need thousands of acres burned to impact you., The West's megadrought will persist and may get worse in coming months. #CoastalFire https://t.co/DgmStDMHyq, OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) May 12, 2022. An evacuation center is set up at the Crown Valley Community Center at 29751 Crown Valley Parkway. While none of the other surrounding cities have ordered evacuations yet, the smoke plume is visible for miles around, with commenters on the fire authoritys twitter page reporting views from San Juan Capistrano, Mission Viejo, and other parts of south Orange County. The blaze, dubbed the Emerald Fire, covers 150 acres and is 10% contained, according to a tweet from the Orange County Fire Authority. An evacuation warning will remain in place while police and fire personnel patrol the area for hot spots; residents are advised to stay on heightened alert. Residents in the Irvine Cove and Emerald Bay areas of Laguna Beach were placed under an immediate evacuation order due a brush fire that is threatening homes and other structures, officials said. Link Copied! While the cause of the fire is still unknown, Southern California Edison published a little noticed memo yesterday morning that said their equipment may have been involved in the cause of the fire. An Orange County Sheriff Deputy runs from house to house as he tries to evacuate residents ahead of the oncoming Coastal Fire in Laguna Niguel, CA, on from the county line to Summit Ranch on both the west and east sides of Carbon Canyon Road. The winter storm will continue to make its way through Orange County on Saturday, bringing more rain and snow at the higher elevations. So far, no injuries have been reported from the fire. 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