Norte Fire in Orange County now at 25% containment
Norte Fire in Orange County now at 25% containment

Norte Fire in Orange County now at 25% containment

Firefighters increased containment of the destructive Norte Fire to 25% on Saturday, allowing officials to lift almost all remaining mandatory evacuation orders for thousands of south Orange County residents. The wind-whipped wildfire, which ignited Friday morning in San Clemente before tearing into gated hillside communities in San Juan Capistrano, held at 570 acres as ground crews aggressively mopped up persistent hot spots. While fire authorities cleared most neighborhoods for repopulation effective at 6 p.m., a stretch of Via La Mirada north of Calle Esperanza remains closed to vehicle traffic due to localized power outages, active hose lines, and extensive damage to at least six homes. No civilian casualties have been reported, though fire officials confirmed that two firefighters were treated for heat-related injuries while defending threatened structures amid a lingering weekend heat advisory. Orange County Fire Authority's Steve Concialdi joins LiveNOW's J Russell to discuss the latest. 

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