The Norte Fire in Orange County reached 25% containment Saturday evening — five times the figure reported that morning — as officials lifted evacuation orders across San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano and roughly 16,000 displaced residents began heading home, according to the Associated Press and Cal Fire.

The burned area held at 570 acres, and Orange County Fire Authority Chief TJ McGovern told the Associated Press that crews had “increased containment to 25%,” a sharp improvement on the 5% containment the authority posted on Saturday morning. The Cal Fire incident page for the blaze, last updated Saturday evening, confirmed the 25% figure with the fire footprint holding under one square mile.

Evacuation orders lifted in stages

Evacuation orders came off in stages across Saturday. According to Cal Fire updates, orders were first lifted around midday for San Clemente Zone 13 and a portion of San Juan Capistrano’s Zone 10. Then, around 6 p.m., the remaining orders were lifted for San Juan Capistrano Zones 4 and 5 and San Clemente Zone 12, CBS Los Angeles reported.

By Saturday evening, “most of the evacuations were lifted,” the Associated Press reported, with one exception: a single San Clemente street. Via La Mirada remains closed north of Esperanza to all traffic except emergency vehicles, according to CBS Los Angeles, with a Fox affiliate reporting the stretch is shut to vehicle traffic because of localized power outages, active hose lines, and extensive damage to homes in the area.

The repopulation is being managed by zone. The Orange County Fire Authority’s repopulation detail showed San Clemente’s Zone 13 fully repopulated and San Juan Capistrano’s Zone 10 partially repopulated — limited to the Stallion Ridge community, San Juan Hills High School, and the landfill off La Pata, according to Saturday evening updates.

Greg Barta, a public information officer with the Orange County Fire Authority, told CBS Los Angeles that crews would “continue to attack the fire and work towards getting residents home as soon as it’s safe to do so.”

Injured firefighters recovering

The two firefighters hospitalized with significant injuries are both improving, OCFA Captain Steve Concialdi told CBS Los Angeles: one has been released, and the other is “doing very good.” No civilian injuries have been reported.

Concialdi cautioned that the danger is not over even with evacuation orders lifted. Fire crews will remain on site “for a number of days” to guard against a rekindle, he said. “We don’t want a rekindle,” Concialdi told CBS Los Angeles. “Right now, because there are some embers, there are some hot spots, we don’t want those embers to then catch a palm tree or some vegetation in another area or next to homes.”

At least six homes were damaged or destroyed in the blaze, most in San Juan Capistrano, a figure that has not changed since Friday night. The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire, which lists the Orange County Fire Authority as the agency having jurisdiction.

What returning residents are finding

Residents coming home this weekend are returning to neighborhoods marked by the fire’s path — blackened hillsides and scorched vegetation across the brush country between the two cities. The burn scar remains an active fire hazard area and is closed until further notice, according to local emergency guidance.

Robert Morris, who has lived in the area since 1995, told CBS Los Angeles it was the first time “we’ve really ever had a fire in this area,” calling the blaze “a wake-up call.”

Conditions are easing. The strongest Santa Ana winds hit the area Friday afternoon, and while elevated fire risk was expected to last through Saturday night, the National Weather Service heat advisory for the Orange and San Diego county coasts expired at 8 p.m. Saturday, the AP reported.

One of several regional blazes

The Norte Fire is one of about 10 wildfires that had not been contained in California as of Saturday night, according to the state’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, as reported by CBS Los Angeles. The Norte Fire was among several in the region driven by Santa Ana winds blowing from the interior toward the coast, the AP reported.

The Cal Fire incident page notes that California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to help ensure critical resources are available to suppress the Norte Fire in South Orange County. Emergency shelters had been open at community centers in both San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano during the evacuation.

What’s next

Fire officials say the immediate work now is mopping up hotspots, holding containment lines, and completing damage assessments of the destroyed and damaged homes. Containment is expected to keep climbing as crews work the perimeter, though officials have not given a timeline for full containment.

Residents are urged to follow official channels for updates on the closed stretch of Via La Mirada and any further changes to evacuation status.

Read our original report on how the fire broke out and forced the evacuations: https://thenerdyhumourist.com/norte-fire-orange-county-570-acres-evacuations/

FAQ

How contained is the Norte Fire now?
As of Saturday evening, October 17, the Norte Fire was 25% contained at 570 acres, according to OCFA Chief TJ McGovern via the Associated Press — up from 5% that morning.

Are evacuation orders still in effect?
Most orders were lifted Saturday evening, letting roughly 16,000 residents return to San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano. Via La Mirada remains closed north of Esperanza to all but emergency vehicles.

How many homes were destroyed in the Norte Fire?
At least six homes were damaged or destroyed, most in San Juan Capistrano, according to the OCFA.

Was anyone hurt in the Norte Fire?
Two firefighters were hospitalized with significant injuries; one has been released and the other is “doing very good,” according to OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi. No civilian injuries have been reported.

Sources

• Associated Press: https://www.tricityrecordnm.com/articles/associated-press-new-mexico/fire-crews-battle-southern-california-blaze-that-burned-6-homes-led-to-the-evacuation-of-16000/
• CBS Los Angeles (via Eastern Herald): https://easternherald.com/2026/10/18/norte-fire-evacuation-orders-lifted-homes/
• Cal Fire incident page: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/10/16/norte-fire
• South OC Beaches Norte Fire guide: https://southocbeaches.com/2026/10/17/orange-county-san-clemente-san-juan-capistrano-norte-fire-guide-saturday-october-17-2026/