A wildfire spreads rapidly and destroys mansions in California

Flames fanned by strong winds engulfed luxury homes south of Los Angeles on Friday due to a wildfire that has consumed hundreds of hectares.

Dramatic images showed homes ablaze and thick plumes of smoke rising from the dry, brush-covered hills, where the fire spread rapidly due to strong winds, low humidity, and unusually high temperatures for this time of year.

The Orange County Fire Department reported on X that the Norte Fire had burned about 465 acres and that at least four homes were affected in the upscale town of San Juan Capistrano, in California.

They added that firefighters were "aggressively attacking the fire from the ground and the air" and issued repeated calls for people to stay away from the area.

The fire's rapid spread prompted evacuation orders, while several helicopters attempted to extinguish the flames.

Authorities warned nearby residents about poor air quality.

The National Weather Service warned of a "high risk of large, rapidly spreading fires," especially in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as well as in the mountains and foothills of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties.

In Los Angeles County alone, tens of thousands of customers lost power after authorities shut down high-voltage power lines in an effort to reduce the risk of strong wind gusts causing electrical sparks.

The intense winds were expected to peak on Friday throughout Los Angeles County, but the intense heat and low humidity kept the fire risk high throughout the weekend.

In some areas, temperatures soared to 100 °F, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service indicated that the fire danger would persist for much of Saturday and warned residents to be prepared for emergency evacuations.