It’s Lit: A brush fire threatens homes in San Juan Capistrano

On lookers watch as the fire spread up the hillside. Mackenzie Quinn

Concerned families and neighbors got together on a Sunday afternoon after large clouds of smoke rose towards the sky in San Juan Capistrano. In the community known as ‘Hidden Mountain’ a fire had erupted on the hill sides.

“11:58 a.m. is when we called [the fire] in and they told me they were already on scene,” said Daniel Graham, a member of the neighboring community. “They told me that [the fire] had started behind the high school.”

Over 50 homes were threatened by the brush fire that spread over 15 acres and burned on the hillside.

“All I saw was a lot of smoke from my home and decided to walk up the hill and see what was going on,” said Walter Pruitt, a concerned member of the neighboring community.

Pruitt, with a few other neighbors stood on another hill while they watched the fire spread. Pruitt noted that they hadn’t seen a major fire sense July 4, over 35 years ago when they had first moved to the neighborhood.

Homes did not get evacuated however, officials blocked off the entryway into the neighborhood in order to protect citizens for their own safety.

Over 100 firefighters responded to the scene as well as two helicopters dropping water on the blaze. The fire wasn’t under control until around 1:30 p.m.

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