Orange County Firefighters Battle Brush Fire Near Laguna Niguel Homes, Evacuations Ordered

A brush fire named the Beacon Fire ignited near Alcott Place and Ridgeway Avenue in Laguna Niguel, burning approximately two to three acres of vegetation and threatening nearby homes. The Orange County Fire Authority responded swiftly with ground crews, strike teams, and aerial water drops, including a CH-47 Chinook helicopter to combat the flames. Authorities established a care and reception center at Crown Valley Community Center and closed several roads as a precaution, urging residents to avoid the area though no mandatory evacuations were initially ordered. Some residents along Copps Hill Street were later evacuated, and shelter-in-place orders were issued for nearby streets as the fire's location shifted northwest. Firefighters successfully prevented injuries and structural damage, continuing efforts to contain the blaze which remained uncontained into the evening. The incident drew comparisons to a 2023 fire in the same area, prompting heightened vigilance from fire officials.