Wind-Driven Fires Force Evacuations Across Southern California
Santa Ana winds pushed several wildfires across Southern California on Friday, burning homes in Orange County and forcing evacuations near Malibu.
- 465 acres burned by the Norte Fire, which was 0% contained.
- 6 homes damaged or destroyed, Orange County fire officials said.
- 500+ firefighters assigned to the Norte Fire, with more en route.
- Bryson Fire near Malibu forced a juvenile facility's evacuation Thursday night.
Why it matters: The fires hit communities still recovering from the January 2025 Palisades and Eaton fires. Those fires killed 31 people.
- Utilities cut power to protect against equipment sparking more fires.
- Nine San Juan Capistrano schools closed Friday.
How 29 sources split on this story
Where they split: Outlets agree on the core facts but report different power outage and acreage figures, likely reflecting different counting times.
Center coverage, 8 sources: The center frames the fires as a test for a region still recovering from last year's deadly blazes.
Left coverage, 12 sources: The left frames the story around weather risk, preventive power shutoffs and Mayor Karen Bass's preparations after criticism of her 2025 fire response.
Right coverage, 9 sources: The right focuses on homes burning in Orange County and the scale of destruction and evacuations.
What’s next: Fire weather conditions were expected to last through Saturday.
- PG&E said outages in Northern California could last through Saturday afternoon.
- Cal Fire is investigating what started the Norte Fire.
- What caused the Norte Fire?
- How many more structures will the fires damage before containment?
