Body Is Found in Brush Fire Near Cabin in Severs Canyon

Firefighters battling a blaze in Severs Canyon off the Ortega Highway Friday found a burning body sprawled near an abandoned and roofless stone cabin, authorities said.

Sheriff’s Lt. Ron Wilkerson said the department is treating the death as a homicide.

Firefighters were summoned by a 911 call to Severs Canyon Road, near the 35500 block of Ortega Highway, to fight two small brush fires about 11:45 a.m. Friday, sheriff’s and county fire officials said.

Vegetation and debris was found burning at the west end of the cabin. As firefighters extinguished the flames, they noticed the badly burned body in the smoldering ashes.

Severs Canyon is about 13 miles north of San Juan Capistrano. The property is located in the Cleveland National Forest, where a cluster of small stone cabins are leased to private citizens by the U.S. Forest Service.

Sheriff’s Lt. Jay Mendez said the identity and gender of the victim had not yet been confirmed.

“We may know who it is, but [coroner’s investigators] have to confirm it,” he said. “If it is the same individual we think it is, then it’s a male.”