Firefighters in California gain ground on the Norte Fire as most of the 16,000 evacuated residents are allowed home
By Saturday evening, evacuation orders in San Clemente had been lifted everywhere except a single street. The Norte Fire ignited at around 11:30am on Friday, exploding from 10 acres to more than 450 within roughly four hours. Driven by Santa Ana winds, it reached San Juan Capistrano, where at least six large ocean-view homes were damaged or destroyed. Two firefighters needed hospital treatment, and the cause remains under investigation.
Mountain bikers filmed a towering fireball on the Las Ramblas trail: 'The heat on our faces was terrifying.'
San Clemente Mayor Rick Loeffler warned it 'could have been a whole lot worse.'
Resident Laura Hart said the fire was unlike anything she had encountered in her more than 50 years living there.
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