California wildfire spreads on 'devil winds'...16,000 ordered to evacuate

[Financial News] A major wildfire has broken out in and around Orange County in Southern California and is spreading rapidly amid strong winds. Dry seasonal winds known as the “devil winds” are scattering embers, prompting evacuation orders for thousands of households. The damage, including homes on fire, is mounting out of control.
According to foreign media including the Associated Press and CNN, the Norte Fire, which started around noon on the 16th (local time) near San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, swept into residential areas. Driven by the Santa Ana, the dry seasonal winds characteristic of California in autumn, the fire spread to about 570 acres (2.3 square kilometers) by evening, while containment remained at 0%. Flames reached the outskirts of a residential area at the northern end, destroying or damaging at least six coastal luxury homes. Two firefighters who responded to the blaze were seriously injured and taken to hospital for treatment. In Malibu, evacuation warnings remain in place for more than 7,000 buildings because of the Bryson Fire, which broke out the previous day.
Orange County Fire Chief TJ McGovern issued evacuation orders for about 4,600 households and around 16,000 residents in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. As the flames approached the edge of the city, some residents desperately tried to keep the fire from spreading by spraying water on their roofs and walls before evacuating. Concerned that strong winds could cause power equipment to ignite, utility companies carried out forced power shutoffs, leaving at least 118,000 people across California without electricity. A nearby stretch of Interstate 5 was also closed for several hours, and nine schools in San Juan Capistrano shut down. Fire officials deployed 400 firefighters to the scene and are bringing in another 400, while California Governor Gavin Newsom secured fire management assistance funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and mounted an all-out response.
The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined. However, because past major California wildfires have often started when power equipment was damaged by strong winds, related equipment is expected to be a major focus of the investigation this time as well. The U.S. National Weather Service issued a heat advisory for coastal areas, including Orange County, through 8 p.m. on the 17th. The Santa Ana winds and dry conditions that increase wildfire risk are forecast to gradually ease after the night of the 17th, as the weekend progresses into its latter half.
[email protected] Park Ji-hyun Reporter