As of around 10 a.m. on October 22, the Norte Fire in the southern part of Orange County has been contained 95%. Despite its relatively small size of 570 acres, the fire quickly approached residential areas driven by strong winds in Santa Ana, posing a significant danger. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Surveillance footage shows the fire starting near power lines.
Residents like Brian mentioned that helicopters and firefighting aircraft arrived quickly, circling the entire burned area and dropping a pink powder fire retardant along with water curtains. Some cars and houses bore pink marks, though these were no longer visible by the 19th.
On the 16th, firefighters focused on establishing fire lines at the boundary between shrubbery and residential areas, with aerial efforts playing a crucial role in containing the flames. By the evening of the 16th, there were very few open flames left. On the 17th and 18th, fire suppression efforts were rotated with reserve teams working 24-hour shifts before changing shifts.
At the other end of Delgado Road, there is a large water tank where aircraft sprayed fire retardant outside the fence. While the electrical shed near the fence was damaged by fire, water supply remained unaffected, typically controlled through pumps or gravity-fed systems with water pipelines underground.
On the residential side of the water tank, firefighters from Santa Barbara, Kern, and Tulare counties in Central California were seen clearing debris. They worked in pairs, with one digging with a shovel while the other used water, with hoses readily available nearby and water needing to be carried up the hills in the distance.
Ryan Kingsbury mentioned, “We rushed over on the night of the 16th and have been clearing this area, focusing on spots still burning, smoking, or emitting heat.” He noted that the weakening winds were aiding in removing remaining embers.
Elek added, “We received the order to come here around 1 or 2 in the morning. There have been continuous patrols by drones both during the day and night.”
Fabian Cortez, on his third deployment mission, mentioned these could last a few days to possibly two to three weeks before taking a rest and returning. He emphasized the inherent risks, saying, “Our vehicles are equipped with everything, including self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA), ready to deploy at any time.”
On the 19th (the 4th day), Orange County Fire Authority’s Captain and Public Information Officer Steve Concialdi stated that approximately 300 firefighters were still actively working in the area. Utilizing drones and infrared detection technology, any hotspots identified prompted firefighters to rush to the scene with firefighting hoses, backpack water tanks, or hand tools to ensure all remaining hotspots were thoroughly extinguished.