Helicopter Flies Toward Towering Norte Fire Smoke Over San Clemente Homes

A helicopter flew toward a towering column of smoke from the Norte Fire as it rose behind a ridge above a San Clemente neighborhood on October 16, 2026.

X user AnitaMcG filmed the scene shortly before 1 p.m. In the video, thick grey and white smoke billows into a clear blue sky from behind the brown hills, and a helicopter crosses in front of the plume. Below are homes with red tile roofs, and palm fronds sway in the strong wind. “Too close for comfort! High winds, high temps. 2 helos on it. Just had first pass of water tanker,” she wrote.

The fire broke out at about 11:30 a.m. near Portico Del Norte in San Clemente and spread into San Juan Capistrano, fueled by dry brush and Santa Ana winds. By the afternoon it had burned 465 acres and was 0% contained, fire officials said.

The Orange County Fire Authority said four homes on Via La Mirada in San Juan Capistrano were impacted. Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for parts of both cities.