The Norte Fire ignited around noon Friday near a neighborhood between San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano and exploded to 570 acres by Friday evening, according to the Orange County Fire Authority.

The Washington Post noted the blaze, like Malibu's Bryson Fire, jumped from two acres to 100 in under two hours. Wind gusts of 25 mph and steep topography let the fire run fast, and residents described a first-ever fire in an area settled since at least 1995.

Six homes were destroyed or damaged as of Saturday morning, per Orange County fire officials cited by CNN, while AOL's later update put the confirmed count at seven homes damaged or destroyed after crews surveyed the footprint.

Two firefighters suffered what officials called significant injuries and remained stable in area hospitals, and no residents were reported hurt. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

At the peak, evacuation orders covered roughly 4,600 homes and about 16,000 people in San Clemente and San Juan Capistrano, according to Orange County Fire Authority Chief TJ McGovern.

Sheriff's deputies went door to door ordering residents to leave, ten Capistrano Unified schools dismissed early, and after-school sports and programs were canceled. US Rep.

Mike Levin said his own family evacuated their San Juan Capistrano home.

The Bryson Fire near Malibu burned roughly 150 acres, threatened more than 100 structures, and pushed more than 7,000 structures into evacuation zones, with over 400 firefighters assigned and containment reaching 52%. Utilities cut power to tens of thousands to prevent equipment sparking new fires.

By Saturday night the picture had reversed. AOL reports that all evacuation orders were lifted and containment climbed to 25%, up from just 5% that morning, after crews knocked down the majority of the fire.

Santa Ana gusts had eased from 25 mph to 17 mph by Saturday and were forecast to diminish through the weekend, though red flag warnings stayed in effect for Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Saturday night.

Fire officials warned the danger is not over. Spokesperson Steve Concialdi said crews would be on scene for a number of days, guarding against new ignitions from embers blown by lingering winds, and officials asked residents for patience while repopulation zones were phased back in.

Chief T.J. McGovern called the wind relentless, and Rep.

Levin framed the event as proof that year-round wildfire season is the new normal for Southern California.