A fire in Laguna Beach prompted officials to issue evacuation orders Monday for residents living on La Mirada Street, Katella Street, Baja Street and Summit Drive.
There is also an evacuation warning south of Del Mar with Pacific Coast Highway closed Northbound at Crown Valley and Southbound diverted at Laguna Canyon road, according to the city’s website.
A resource center has been set up at the Community and Suzi Q. Center on Third Street, according to the city website.
Laguna Beach Mayor Alex Rounaghi said in a phone interview that the fire started at 2:15 p.m. Monday and is suspected to be caused by fireworks.
“We don’t have any further information, as there’s an active investigation,” he said. “It is approximately three acres right now, and we are actively using our HeloPods.”
“We have an evacuation order that has gone out to about a few 100 homes in the Arch Beach Heights area,” Rounaghi added.
Laguna Beach Fire Chief Niko King said it was still an active fire at around 4:30 p.m.
“We’ve stopped the forward progress on one of the flanks,” he said, adding that 0% of the fire was contained.
Rounaghi said they don’t anticipate more evacuation orders but the situation is fluid.
Chip Gilmore, a spokesman with the fire department, said forward progression of the fire had stopped around 5 p.m.
According to OC Supervisor Katrina Foley, the fire was near Rancho Laguna Road and Morningside Dr.
In a phone call, Foley said she just pulled up to the Suzi Q center and that progress had been made in fighting the fire.
“It looks like our helicopters from OCFA and our HeloPod over there at Aliso, where they’re refilling quickly, is really working,” Foley said. “I just spoke to the city manager, who said that that he thinks that they’re getting it under control pretty quickly.”
According to the city website, there have been intermittent power outages near the area and the power is expected to be restored by 9:30 p.m.
Monday’s fire comes three years after the Emerald Fire burned more than 150 acres along the northern edge of Laguna Beach, and more than 30 years after the Laguna Fire in 1993 consumed 16,000 acres and destroyed over 4,000 homes.
Hosam Elattar is a Voice of OC reporter. Contact him at [email protected] or on Twitter @ElattarHosam.
