27October 2020
LOS ANGELES– Tens of countless homeowners in California’s Orange County remained under evacuation orders Tuesday as two wildfires continued to threaten high end communities. The Silverado Fire had taken in more than 20 square miles with only 5% containment, prompting a growth of the evacuation orders to include sections of Mission Viejo, the Orange County Fire Authority reported.
About 70,000 Irvine homeowners were under evacuation order and another 6,000 in neighboring Lake Forest. In the afternoon, however, fire officials stated some could begin returning house.
To the east, heaven Ridge Fire has blackened more than 22 square miles– consisting of 56% of Chino Hills State Park at the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains, Assemblyman Philip Chen reported in his email newsletter to constituents. There was no containment since Tuesday night.
Officials stated more than 8,700 homes are under evacuation. They include 5,958 in the Chino Hills, 2,500 in Yorba Linda and 276 in Brea. 10 Yorba Linda homes were damaged by the flames, but no structures had been reported lost in either of the two blazes.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom stated that in overall, more than 90,000 Orange County homeowners are under evacuation orders. He stated winds were clocked at 88 miles per hour in the county. They gusted to 96 miles per hour in the neighboring San Gabriel Mountains.
He stated the fact that there has been so little damage is a “testament to the remarkable work being done by regional firemens, not just our state firemens.”