US wildfires - live: Evacuations ordered in Colorado Springs as homes destroyed in California

Wildfires are raging across the western US as this year’s fire season gets off to an early start

California’s Orange County Hit by Coastal Wildfire

A wildfire near Laguna Beach, California, has already destroyed 20 homes and will likely continue to ravage the region throughout the day.

The blaze — called the Coastal Fire — raged through the early morning hours on Thursday, during which time fire crews were dispatched to attempt to stop its advance.

Despite their efforts, by Thursday morning a score of homes — including five multi-million dollar mansions, one of which was listed for $10m — were left in smoldering ruins as the blaze continued to grow to around 200 acres.

The wildfire is the fueled in-part the ongoing drought conditions affecting much of the western and southwestern US. The lack of rain causes regional flora to dry out, which then creates ideal conditions to fuel wildfires.

Fires contineus to burn in New Mexico, including the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire, which has spread to over 400 square miles and forced further evacuations as it spreads north. The Cerro Pelado fire, north of Albuquerque, has now put the Los Alamos National Laboratory on evacuation alert.

In Colorado Springs, officials have ordered a mandatory evacuation order for a community surrounding a grass fire that started today.

Fire crews believe the California blaze started in the Aliso Woods Canyon, which abuts one of the Laguna neighborhoods. Mandatory evacuation orders have been enacted for parts of Laguna Niguel.

[12 May 2022 16:30 · Ethan Freedman]

Meanwhile, in New Mexico, the Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak fire has grown to over 400 square miles – about the size of San Antonio, Texas.

The fire has been burning for weeks now, as crews have worked to protect residents living in and around the Santa Fe National Forest

[12 May 2022 15:56 · Ethan Freedman]

Last night, Chief Fennessy emphasized the role of the climate crisis in creating the conditions for this fire

“We’re seeing spread in ways we haven’t before,” he said, adding that if the vegetation hadn’t been so dry, crews could likely have contained the fire to one or two acres

The fire is now around 200 acres, about the size of 150 American Football fields

[12 May 2022 15:48 · Ethan Freedman]

At a press conference last night, Orange County Fire Authority Chief Brian Fennessy said that there were no known injuries, and around 20 structures destroyed

The fire department will be giving another update at 8:30 AM Pacific Time today

[12 May 2022 15:44 · Ethan Freedman]

Airplane footage shows fire burning in the canyon and areas where fire crews are attempting to contain the fire

[12 May 2022 15:31 · Graig Graziosi]

Plumes of smoke blot out the sky above Laguna Beach neighborhoods

Footage from Laguna Beach shows columns of smoke from the nearby Coastal Fire rising into the sky over the neighborhood.

The fire spread in the early morning hours of Thursday and now includes more than 200 acres.

[12 May 2022 15:29 · Graig Graziosi]

Welcome to the liveblog

Welcome to The Independent’s live coverage of the Coastal Fire, which is tearing through the ocean-side community of Laguna Beach in southern California.

The fire has grown to 200 acres as responders battle strong ocean winds and drought conditions to get a handle on the fire.