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Shocking videos show brush fire destroying million-dollar oceanfront homes in Laguna Niguel

The fire has burned about 20 homes while people from nearby residences and a luxury resort had to be evacuated, said officials

A wind and terrain-driven fire that broke out on Wednesday, May 11, near Laguna Niguel rapidly grew to 200 acres in windy and dry conditions. The fire has now burned about 20 homes while people from nearby residences and a luxury resort had to be evacuated, said fire officials. Brush fires often start from flammable low-lying debris such as leaves, twigs, pine needles, shrubbery, and grass.

Orange County Sheriff’s Capt. Virgil Asuncion said that about 100 homes were potentially in the path of the Coastal fire. As the fire began to quickly grow, multi-million dollar homes on Coronado Pointe Drive, Vista Court, and Via Las Rosa, as well as The Ranch golf course and resort, had to be evacuated.

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The fire was first reported at 2:44 pm in Aliso Woods Canyon, near a water treatment facility, which, according to Orange County Fire Capt. Sean Doran, had burned about three acres as of 3:30 pm. By about 7:30, the fire grew and consumed about 200 acres, OCFA Chief Brian Fennessy said.

"Unfortunately I think this is what we're going to be experiencing over the next several weeks and years," said Chief Brian Fennessy of the Orange County Fire Authority during a press conference Wednesday night, May 11. "The vegetation is so dry it is not taking much for the fire to take off running and burn very quickly." No injuries have been reported so far.

Several videos of the fire have been shared on social media. "A massive wind-driven brush fire dubbed the #CoastalFire erupted in the Laguna Niguel area of Orange County, California, and is threatening homes along the Aliso Summit Trail. The smoke plume is so large, it’s hard to tell if homes are engulfed in flames," one user wrote, sharing a video. "At least one home is on fire as a result of flying embers from a wind-driven brush fire burning in the Laguna Niguel area of Orange County, California. The #CoastalFire is predicted to be at least 30 acres. Several structures are reported to be engulfed in flames," the same user wrote, sharing another video.

Sharing a video, a user wrote, "20-30 multimillion-dollar homes are currently burning as a brush fire tears through a Laguna Niguel neighborhood. "Large wind-driven brush fire erupting in the Laguna Niguel area of Orange County along the Aliso Summit Trail, smoke plumes covering," another video post reads. One video post reads, "Upwards of 13 (thirteen) homes burning now in Laguna Niguel with multiple fire agencies battling the blaze from both the ground and the sky. Ground crews working on structure fires (several heavily-involved) and air crews battling brush fire."