California: Over a dozen wildfires raging across the state burn several homes and force thousands to evacuate as temperatures soar

A swiftly spreading wildfire has burned half-a-dozen homes in the southern Los Angeles area. The blaze, which is being called the Norte Fire, sparked Friday in Orange County, California, and rapidly grew to more than 450 acres in a few hours. Officials said powerful winds will continue to blow through Saturday, further putting people and property in the area at risk. The massive wildfire has prompted evacuations of thousands of people in the region.

Red flag warnings in place

In an update issued Friday evening, Division 3 Fire Chief Mark Backoff said six homes had either been damaged or destroyed by the Norte Fire, adding that one firefighter had been injured due to heat exhaustion. "We continue to engage in the firefight, and have additional resources coming," Backoff said, according to the BBC.


Videos circulated on social media showed fires ripping through homes in the communities of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a red flag warning for several counties in California due to gusty winds and dry conditions that make it harder to control wildfires.

Over a dozen fires raging

The Norte Fire is one of 13 blazes raging across the Golden State, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In the affluent coastal city of Malibu in Los Angeles county, the Bryson Fire has grown to over 145 acres and triggered orders for evacuations throughout the Santa Monica mountains. Over 400 personnel have been combating that blaze. Meanwhile, the Henderson Fire in San Diego county erupted Thursday and has engulfed more than 2,000 acres, the BBC reported.

The dangerous fires are being worsened by the strong Santa Ana winds. Authorities said the winds peaked Friday, but will remain dangerous into early Saturday morning.

High temperatures sizzle California

Temperatures are way above average for this time of the year in southern California, making the fires more damaging. The NWS has sounded a heat advisory, saying the risk of heat-related health issues remained high. Temperatures are forecast to touch 95F mark in southern California on Saturday.

Fewer fires this year

California, which is highly prone to wildfires, has seen fewer blazes this year, with 300,000 acres burning since the beginning of 2026.This is relatively a smaller size compared to the over one million acres that fires would have typically burned by mid-October.

In January last year, deadly wildfires killed more than two dozen people and destroyed thousands of homes in the Los Angeles area, marking some of the most destructive blazes to hit the region.