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Photos: Laguna Niguel residents return to ruins: ‘30 years’ worth of memories’ consumed by fire

Firefighters battle a brush fire that spread to homes at Coronado Pointe in Laguna Niguel.
Firefighters battle Coastal fire at Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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What started as a small brush fire fueled by coastal winds quickly spread into an upscale Laguna Niguel subdivision, burning at least 20 homes and forcing many to flee.

The Coastal fire grew to 200 acres and underscores the year-round danger of fires in Southern California.

Sassan Darian holds his cat as he assesses the damage outside his father's home
Sassan Darian, 38, holds his cat, Cyrus, as he assesses the damage outside his father’s home on Coronado Pointe.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Keith and Lynn Morey lost all of their possessions except for their wedding picture.
Keith and Lynn Morey lost all of their possessions except for their wedding picture, which was saved by firefighters.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
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A view of homes still smoldering from the Coastal fire as seen from Talavera Drive in Laguna Niguel.
(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Ritz Sherman, left, comforts distraught neighbor, Zoey Carpenter.
Ritz Sherman, left, comforts distraught neighbor, Zoey Carpenter. Both were very emotional after seeing destruction in their Coronado Pointe community.
(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
A plane make a fire retardant drop on a hillside in Laguna Niguel to put out ambers from the Coastal fire.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
People walk along a path behind the homes on Coronado Pointe.
People walk along a path behind the homes on Coronado Pointe. More than 20 homes in Laguna Niguel were destroyed by the Coastal fire, fueled by winds and dry conditions caused by California’s intense drought.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
A family leaves with their suitcases after the Coastal fire destroyed more than 20 homes in Laguna Niguel.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
Matthew Vogel, age 39, crouches in front of his parents home, where he grew up in the Coronado Pointe neighborhood
Matthew Vogel, age 39, crouches in front of his parents home, where he grew up in the Coronado Pointe neighborhood. The home was completely destroyed last night. At least 20 homes in Laguna Niguel were destroyed by fire, fueled by winds and dry conditions caused by California’s intense drought on May 12, 2022.
(Carolyn Cole/Los Angeles Times)
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A large home continues to smolder from the Coastal fire on Vista Court in Laguna Niguel.
(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Venus Shafizadah, left, and her husband, Ata, walk by smoldering homes on their home street on Coronado Pointe.
Venus Shafizadah, left, and her husband, Ata, walk by smoldering homes on their home street on Coronado Pointe. The Shafizadah’s were lucky and their home escaped damage from the Coastal fire.
(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
OCFA Capt. Brian Yau puts caution tape around unsafe homes gutted by Coastal fire in Laguna Niguel.
OCFA Capt. Brian Yau puts caution tape around unsafe homes gutted by Coastal fire in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times)
Flames from the Coastal fire explode from the windows of a home in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters hose down homes in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
Firefighters hose down homes in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters battle the Coastal fire in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Embers rain down on firefighters battling the Coastal fire in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Firefighters direct their hoses on a home on fire in the Coronado Pointe community in Laguna Niguel.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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