Photos show efforts to mitigate Laguna Beach brush fire that forced hasty evacuations
Fire crews battled an unusual winter brush fire near Laguna Beach on Thursday.
The blaze threatened multimillion dollar homes in two affluent Southern California communities.
Photos shows helicopters and tankers dropping water on the flames.
A rare winter brush fire fueled by unseasonable heat and blustering winds erupted near Laguna Beach on Thursday morning, prompting hasty evacuations as firefighters worked to mitigate the flames.
The Emerald Fire first emerged early Thursday morning between Laguna Beach and Emerald Bay along the Coast Highway. The blaze forced members of two affluent Orange County communities to desert their homes in a rush.
Around 4:00 a.m., several Orange County sheriff's deputies hastily woke sleeping residents in nearby neighborhoods to alert them to the fire, according to The Los Angeles Times.
As of Thursday afternoon, the fire had swept through 145 acres, but the Orange County Fire Authority said the blaze appeared to be manageable by mid-afternoon, USA Today reported.
A winter heatwave aided by the Santa Ana winds helped fuel the fire in a flurry.
Firefighters attacked the flames from both the ground and air, dropping water from helicopters and tankers.
An ongoing drought persists in much of Southern California where parts of Orange County haven't seen rain since late December.
The flames threatened several multimillion dollar homes along the coast.
Mitigation efforts were focused on protecting Emerald Bay and Irvine Cove which boast some of the most expensive homes in the country.
Earlier in the day, the flames temporarily closed a section of the Pacific Coast Highway.
Scientists fear Thursday's blaze is indicative of an ever-lengthening fire season in California, which typically begins in late summer.
Officials have yet to determine the cause of the fire and did not know when residents would be able to return to their homes, The Los Angeles Times reported.
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