BREAKING NEWS: Norte Brush Fire Burns Several Homes in San Juan Capistrano - CBS Los Angeles Live*

BREAKING NEWS from Southern California - October 16, 2026 A fast-moving, wind-driven brush fire called the *Norte Fire* exploded in Orange County today, burning several homes and forcing mass evacuations. *What happened:* The fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte in the San Clemente area. Fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds with gusts up to 25 mph, it quickly grew from 50 acres to 465 acres in just 3 hours with 0% containment. Aerial footage from CBS News Los Angeles / KCAL shows flames tearing through roofs of multimillion-dollar homes off Via La Mira, Avenida Calita, and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano. The Orange County Fire Authority confirmed at least 6 homes have been damaged or destroyed, with aerial images showing 8 or more homes impacted. One firefighter suffered heat exhaustion. No other injuries reported. Evacuation orders were issued for 5 zones in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, from Camino Las Ramblas to the 5 Freeway. The northbound I-5 was temporarily closed. 10 schools were dismissed early. Credit: CBS News Los Angeles - KCAL Live Coverage Location: San Juan Capistrano, Orange County, California Please pray for the residents and firefighters. *Hashtags:*