ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. — Click here for Thursday's latest news on the Coastal Fire
The Coastal Fire near Laguna Beach and Laguna Niguel has burned homes in Orange County, California.
The fire has burned more than 180 acres, the Orange County Fire Authority said Wednesday evening.
At least 20 homes have been burned, KABC reported.
GET THE LATEST:
EVACUATIONS:
The Orange County Sheriff's Office says:
- Evacuation orders have been issued for north of the intersection of Flying Cloud Drive and Pacific Island Drive to the intersection of Highlands Avenue and Pacific Island Drive.
- Voluntary Evacuation Warnings have been issued for the area south of Flying Cloud Drive and Pacific Island Drive to the intersection of Pacific Island Drive and Crown Valley Parkway
Residents are asked to call the Orange County Emergency Operations Center at (714) 628-7085 for updates.
An evacuation center is set up at the Crown Valley Community Center at 29751 Crown Valley Parkway.
Map of the evacuation zones from the Orange County Sheriff's Office:
FIRE MAP:
A map from the National Interagency Fire Center shows fire activity:
VIEW FROM ABOVE: KABC's SkyMap7 shows the fire's destruction Wednesday evening:
WILDFIRE PREPS
According to Cal Fire, the 2021 fire season started earlier than previous years, but also ended earlier, as well. January 2021 saw just under 1,200 acres burned from nearly 300 wildfires. Fires picked up in the summer when the Dixie Fire burned in five Northern California counties — Butte, Plumas, Shasta, Lassen and Tehama. The Dixie Fire started on July 13 and wasn't contained until Oct. 25, burning nearly 1 million acres. It became the second largest wildfire in state history and the largest non-complex fire.
Overall, 2.5 million acres burned in 2021 from 8,835 wildfires. Over 3,600 structures were destroyed and 3 people killed.
If you live in a wildfire-prone zone, Cal Fire suggests creating a defensible space around your home. Defensible space is an area around a building in which vegetation and other debris are completely cleared. At least 100 feet is recommended.
The Department of Homeland Security suggests assembling an emergency kit that has important documents, N95 respirator masks, supplies to grab with you if you’re forced to leave at a moment’s notice. The agency also suggests signing up for local warning system notifications and know your community’s evacuation plans best to prepare yourself and your family in cases of wildfires.
Some counties use Nixle alerts to update residents on severe weather, wildfires, and other news. To sign up, visit www.nixle.com or text your zip code to 888777 to start receiving alerts.
PG&E customers can also subscribe to alerts via text, email, or phone call. If you're a PG&E customer, visit the Profile & Alerts section of your account to register.
What questions do you have about the latest wildfires? If you're impacted by the wildfires, what would you like to know? Text the ABC10 team at (916) 321-3310.