San Juan Fire Burns Nearly 10 Acres Of Vegetation In Orange County; Ortega Highway Closed
SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO (CBSLA) - A brush fire erupted alongside Ortega Highway near San Juan Capistrano Thursday, racing uphill through thick vegetation and forcing a complete closure of the roadway.
Firefighters were alerted to the blaze at noon near Hot Spring Canyon Road, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg Barta.
The blaze, dubbed the San Juan Fire, had expanded to between 9 acres before firefighters were able to contain the spread, according to OCFA Capt. Steve Concialdi.
As of 7:45 p.m., the fire was 90% contained.
Ortega Highway was closed in both directions in the area for several hours to accommodate responding fire crews. However, both lanes were reopened to traffic in the early evening.
There was no immediate word on what sparked the blaze. Crews on scene reported the fire was burning uphill, with the potential to spread across 100 acres, but aerial assets were dispatched to the scene to slow the spread of the flames.