Canyon Fire Guts 5 Condos

A fast-moving brush fire, apparently deliberately set, gutted a million-dollar condominium complex Wednesday and threatened several other homes in a cliff-top neighborhood overlooking the San Clemente Pier.

The blaze began at the bottom of Trafalgar Canyon about 3:20 p.m. and raced a quarter-mile up the steep slope fueled by ocean breezes and heavy vegetation.

Forty fire engines and more than 100 firefighters responded, including Marines from Camp Pendleton and two helicopters that dropped water and fire retardant.

Firefighters battled the inferno on two fronts, in the steep canyon and in the densely packed neighborhood, while clouds of black smoke and burning embers swirled in the sky.

Residents in the neighborhood near Calle Conchita and Esplanade were told to evacuate, but many stayed behind to protect their homes with garden hoses.

“We are trying to keep things wet,” said Tim Lee-Thorp, who lives across the canyon from the fire. “The concern would be if the wind shifted and the sparks flew this way. It’s quite nerve-racking.”

Witnesses told investigators that one or more youths were seen fleeing the area where the fire began. Kirk Summers, a spokesman for the Orange County Fire Authority, said late Wednesday that investigators believe the youths set the fire. “We are going to get these guys, but any information we can get from the public would be appreciated,” he said.

No injuries were reported, although two firefighters were treated for mild heat exhaustion. The fire was contained by 5:30 but expected to burn through the night, so crews remained.

Three condominiums on Cazador Lane were destroyed by the flames, which then jumped to a second complex and destroyed two other units. A home across the canyon sustained rooftop burns from embers, and a few other structures had minor damage.

Authorities said the condos were built in 1980 and had exterior wood shingles that would not be allowed under today’s fire codes. The three condos were built directly on the lip of the canyon, with no space between the structure and the vegetation.

Bob Nelson saw the smoke as he was driving to his condo from the supermarket. When he arrived, his entire complex was engulfed. Nelson tried to unlock the door, but billowing smoke pushed him back.

“I couldn’t save anything. Everything went,” he said. “It’s totally destroyed.”

The roof caved in, the windows were broke and the entire back of the house seemed to have collapsed in the blaze, he said.

Nelson, 53, also has a home in Burbank. He had bought the San Clemente property with the hope of retiring there. He said the only good thing was that his wife was in Burbank.

“She is lucky not to see this in person,” he said.

Richard Sullivan, 66, was standing in his kitchen when he saw the flames in the canyon below.

“Then that baby really started coming up,” he said.

Sullivan called 911. Several minutes went by, and he called again before he drove his car out of the garage and abandoned his condo.

“What I got on is all I got,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan, Nelson and several other neighbors complained that it took firefighters more than 20 minutes to arrive. But fire officials said the first engines to the scene were called to the mouth of the canyon --down by the beach, not to the homes. They said firefighters were at the scene within 10 to 15 minutes.

“It’s unfair to say the first two companies were not in the right place, because they have to go where they’re called,” said Orange County Fire Authority Battalion Chief Marc Hawkins. “It’s a judgment call. There was fire racing up both sides of the canyon. We could have responded to this side first, and we might have lost homes on the other side.”

While neighbors doused the flames with hoses waiting for firefighters to arrive, a group of teenagers who had been down at the beach scrambled up to the neighborhood and used their towels to stamp out flaming bushes.

“If it weren’t for these kids, these houses would be burned down too,” said John Dettoni, 63, whose house was spared.

The blaze threw the tranquil neighborhood into a panic. As soot and red-hot embers rained down, residents made a dash to retrieve precious items from their homes.

Jacqueline Eames grabbed sentimental jewelry and photographs.

“It’s very close to our house. It’s pretty scary,” said a breathless Eames. “We have lived here for 16 years and now we’re just hoping to be able to sell the house and move to New Zealand.”

Devin Melms, 26, ran into his rental condo and grabbed a television, his surfboards, a pair of shoes and a hamper full of dirty clothes.

He lost everything else.

“My whole world,” he said. “My whole life.”

Tony Wood, 61, lost everything too--even his wallet. But he saved his fiancee’s dog, a terrier named Jasper.

“If I wouldn’t have saved Jasper, I might as well have slit my throat,” he said.

The blaze marked the first time since 1996 that an Orange County wildfire destroyed homes. It also damaged residents’ peace of mind.

“It’s just devastating,” said Wayne Eggleston, 56, a resident of the neighborhood and a San Clemente councilman.

Eggleston has lived in this idyllic setting for 11 years. On Wednesday, a wall of flames came roaring toward his home--coming close but stopping short.

“I was concerned about the canyon,” he said. “It’s very dry down there. It’s a gorgeous canyon, but it gets very dry.”

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Times staff writers Ana Beatriz Cholo, Jennifer Mena, Mai Tran and David Haldane contributed to this report.

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Path of Destruction

A brush fire ripped through two residential properties Wednesday in San Clemente. More than 100 firefighters and two water-dropping helicopters battled the blaze.