SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – All evacuation orders for the Norte Fire were lifted at 6 p.m. PT Saturday, allowing residents of San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano to return home, as firefighters pushed containment to 25%, CAL FIRE and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department announced.
The final release covers zones SCL12 in San Clemente and SJC04, SJC05 and the remainder of SJC10 in San Juan Capistrano. Orders for SCL13 and part of SJC10 had been lifted earlier Saturday at 12:18 p.m. “With these changes, no Evacuation Orders associated with the Norte Fire remain in effect,” the Sheriff’s Department said in its 6 p.m. update, telling residents they may return subject to remaining road closures.
What is still closed
Via La Mirada remains closed north of Esperanza to vehicle traffic so OCFA crews can keep working.
The burn scar remains closed until further notice as an active fire hazard area.
Officials asked returning residents to use caution, follow public safety personnel and expect emergency vehicles in the area. Anyone unsure about their address can check the county’s zone map at ocsheriff.gov/nortefire or call the Public Information Hotline at 714-628-7085.
Where the fire stands
The Norte Fire holds at 570 acres with 25% containment, per CAL FIRE’s 7:42 p.m. PT incident update. That is up from 5% Saturday morning, the first containment figure released, after crews worked through the night strengthening lines. The fire started at 11:33 a.m. Friday near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte in San Clemente and, driven by Santa Ana winds, grew into the most serious of this week’s Southern California fires within hours.
Six homes have been damaged or destroyed, most on the San Juan Capistrano side off Via La Mirada. One firefighter was treated for mild heat exhaustion and is doing well; no civilian injuries have been reported. The cause remains under investigation. California secured a FEMA Fire Management Assistance Grant early Saturday to fund suppression resources.
What this means for readers
Repopulation does not mean the fire is out. A quarter of the perimeter is contained, the burn scar is still an active hazard, and fire weather persists through the Santa Ana event, so keep a go-bag ready and follow official channels over social media rumor. For the full picture, including the zone map, shelter locations and the complete timeline, read our running Norte Fire coverage: Norte Fire in Orange County: Evacuation Orders, Map and Shelters. Update, Sunday, Oct. 18: Containment has since reached 50%, acreage remains 570, and the damaged-or-destroyed home count rose to seven. Read the Sunday update. We will update both stories if containment or closures change again.
Sources: CAL FIRE Norte Fire incident page (7:42 p.m. PT update) and the Orange County Sheriff’s Department (6 p.m. PT update), Oct. 17, 2026.
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