At least six expensive properties have been engulfed by fast-spreading wildfires on the southern coast of California, prompting thousands of people to evacuate. The Orange County Fire Authority said on X that the so-called Norte fire had scorched about 465 acres (188 hectares) and that at least four homes had been impacted in the affluent San Juan Capistrano municipality. Black smoke billowing from the hills was visible for miles as firefighters tried to contain the fast-moving blaze.
The agency said firefighters were "aggressively attacking the fire from ground and air" and repeatedly requested people to stay away from the area. Danger of fire spreading remains as thousands without power The Norte fire started in the coastal city of San Clemente and wind drove it into San Juan Capistrano. The National Weather Service warned of "high risk for large fires and rapid fire growth," especially over Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as well as the mountains and foothills of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties The wildfires have continued to worsen due to the intense Santa Ana winds, low humidity and unseasonably high temperatures.
According to forecasters, wind gusts of up to 50-70 miles (80-110 kilometers) per hour were recorded in the mountains, with coastal and valley areas seeing gusts between 35 and 55 miles per hour. Authorities have turned off the electricity supply to reduce the risk of electrical sparks that the heavy wind gusts could carry, leaving thousands of people in the state without power. Firefighters have been trying to douse the Norte Fire Image: Apu Gomes/AFP If you rely on our team for trusted reporting, please take a moment to select us as your Preferred Source on Google , so you'll always see our verified news first.
Deutsche Welle reports the Norte fire in Orange County and blames its spread on Santa Ana winds, low humidity and unseasonably high temperatures, but never says that warming makes fire weather like this more frequent and more severe. The article also gives two different counts of homes hit, six in its opening line and four in the sentence it attributes to the fire authority.
Leaves out the climate link
Serious
“The wildfires have continued to worsen due to the intense Santa Ana winds, low humidity and unseasonably high temperatures.”
Why this matters
Deutsche Welle explains why the fires are worsening through wind, low humidity and "unseasonably high temperatures". It stops there and never connects that heat or the dry fire weather to global warming.
The impression it gives
A reader comes away thinking the fire is a seasonal weather event with purely local causes, and that the unusual heat is chance.
The context
Human-caused warming has made fire weather more frequent and more severe. The article contains no word on climate change or warming anywhere.
How we know
On the recordThat warming has made hot extremes, heavy rainfall, agricultural and ecological drought, fire weather and intense tropical cyclones more frequent or more severe.ipcc.ch (opens in a new tab)
Checked against the whole articleIt never uses the words “climate” and “warming”.
The wildfires have worsened because of intense Santa Ana winds, low humidity and unseasonably high temperatures. Climate change is making fire weather like this more frequent and more severe.
Contradictory counts of homes hit
Minor
“at least four homes had been impacted”
Why this matters
Deutsche Welle attributes a count of "at least four homes" to the Orange County Fire Authority, one sentence after saying in its own voice that at least six properties had been engulfed.
The impression it gives
A reader cannot tell whether four or six homes were hit, or which figure comes from the authority.
The context
Other outlets report the fire authority's figure as at least six homes damaged or destroyed. The article's own opening line also says six.
How we know
Elsewhere in the article“At least six expensive properties have been engulfed”