Emerald to Embers: Close Up of a Laguna Neighborhood

Homes in Emerald Bay are numbered and line up on tiers that graduate down hills facing the Pacific Ocean. Wednesday’s fire hop-scotched between tiers, destroying some homes while only slightly damaging others. How the fire touched one Laguna Beach neighborhood, according to witnesses’ accounts:

How It Happened 1. About 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, flames enter Emerald Canyon and ignite house 518 2. Fire from 518 moves to trees and brush in tier of homes above 3. Blaze expands, engulfing some homes on both levels 4. Last two homes to burn are 513 and 517; brick house at 515 is not damaged

Why it spread: Dense foliage surrounding homes and dry pine needles accumulated on rooftops fueled fire

Why some homes burned * Older homes made of wood were susceptible to blaze * Wood-shake shingle roofs fueled flames, did not squelch them

Why some didn’t burn * Newer homes made of stucco and brick resisted fire * Some roofs were made of Cal-Shake, a simulated wood, non-flammable shingle made of Portland cement and aggregate rock

A house-by-house look at the damage: LOWER TIER

509 Damage: Minor House: Wood Roof: Slate shingle Note: Telescope still standing in living room pointing to ocean

510 Damage: Destroyed House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Pillar with metal plaque reads: Built 1965. Kitcher House

511 Damage: Destroyed; balcony and patio furniture in tact House: Wood Roof: Wood shingle Note: Owners hosed down roof before evacuating

512 Damage: Destroyed House: Unknown Roof: Unknown

513 Damage: Destroyed; brick chimney standing House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Burned metal frame of child’s bike in front of house

514 Damage: Destroyed House: Unknown Roof: Unknown

515 Damage: None House: Brick, stucco Roof: 5-year-old Cal-Shake cement tiles Note: Home and roof made of non-wood materials

516 Damage: Destroyed; brick chimney left standing House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Halloween pumpkin, withered by heat, is amid rubble

517 Damage: Destroyed; garage left standing House: Unknown Roof: 1-year-old Cal-Shake cement tiles Note: Trees below house caught fire, ignited wood deck and engulfed house from underneath

518 Damage: Destroyed; drywall stacked by side of house was not burned House: Unknown Roof: Cal-Shake or tile Note: First house that caught fire

519 Damage: Destroyed; brick chimney left standing House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Two stone-lion statues positioned where front of house used to be

519ADamage: Destroyed House: Unknown Roof: Tile

UPPER TIER

520 Damage: Landscape burned, minor damage to home House: Stucco Roof: Slate Note: Empty steel bird cage still hanging on pole in patio area

521 Damage: Walls still standing, but inside gutted House: Wood Roof: Asphalt shingle Note: Metal doorknob still attached to charred door frame

522 Damage: Destroyed House: Wood Roof: Tile

523 Damage: Water and smoke damage, slight roof damage; house intact House: Stucco Roof: Asphalt shingle

524 Damage: House gutted, but a few walls left standing House: Stucco Roof: Unknown Note: Burned out Range Rover in front of house

525 Damage: Unknown House: In process of being built Roof: Unknown Note: Piles of lumber untouched by fire

526 Damage: Destroyed; burned-out Jeep standing where garage once stood House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Metal spiral staircase still standing amid rubble

527 Damage: Destroyed; brick chimney left standing; burned-out car standing in front House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Scorched lemons still hanging from tree; row of terra cotta planters intact, minus plants

529 Damage: Destroyed; brick chimney left standing House: Unknown Roof: Unknown Note: Brightly painted metal mail box untouched; burned-out BMW in front

530 Damage: None House: Stucco Roof: Unknown

528 Damage: Destroyed House: Unknown Roof: Unknown

532 Damage: None House: Wood Roof: Unknown