Area engines dispatched

A wind shift moved the Santiago Canyon Fire that has scorched more than 15,000 acres away from Costa Mesa on Monday, Orange County Fire Authority officials said.

Winds of 30 to 40 mph steered the fire southeast Monday, prompting voluntary evacuations in Foothill Ranch, Lake Forest and Portola.

“If the wind continues to work in our favor and go down that will make a huge difference,” said Chelsea Farbolin, an Orange County Fire Authority volunteer.

The fire was 30 percent contained Monday. Winds reached 90 mph over the weekend, she said.

The Costa Mesa and Newport Beach fire departments have devoted seven fire engines and 26 firefighters to assist protecting homes and buildings.

“We’re stretched pretty thin. This is about maxing us out as far as what we have in reserve,” said Newport Beach Battalion Chief Ron Gamble.

Both departments have called on their reserve firefighters to fill the void locally. Fire units will work in 24-hour rotating shifts battling the Santiago Canyon Fire.

The departments were initially tapped to assist with the Malibu Fire, but were diverted to Orange County Sunday evening.

Southern California firefighters — and communities — are under siege, with infernos raging in Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego and San Bernardino counties.

Los Angeles County fire officials suspect power lines sparked the Malibu Fire and the Santiago Canyon Fire is suspected as arson.

Orange County alone has approximately 500 firefighters, 94 fire engines and trucks and one helicopter at the Santiago Canyon Fire. There have been four minor injuries to firefighters; no homes or commercial buildings have been lost.

Locally, the wind has caused minor damage and some inconvenience. Costa Mesa residents went 17 minutes without power Monday afternoon, part of a grid shutdown initiated by Southern California Edison because two high-voltage transmission power lines were in the path of the fire.

Also, a power outage left 21 Newport Beach and 181 Costa Mesa residents without power Monday, Southern California Edison spokeswoman Vanessa McGrady said. More than 350,000 Southern California customers have been affected since the high wind and wildfire conditions began Saturday, she said.

California Highway Patrol officers were working to re-open the Laguna Freeway at Golden State Freeway before rush hour Monday afternoon, CHP officer Jennifer Hink said. Local commuters dealt with closures on the 241 Toll Road and northbound Irvine Boulevard, Jamboree Road and Portola Parkway in the Irvine area.

But it wasn’t all bad news.

“The surf is just glorious,” said Newport Beach Lifeguard Battalion Chief Jim Turner. “Those riding are having the best surfing days of their lives.”

The off-shore winds were hitting the face of the waves and creating nice peaks for the waves, Turner said. The waves ranged from 3 to 5 feet Monday he said. Though the visibility is poor, it didn’t seem to be giving anyone problems, he said.

Surfers and firefighters are expecting similar conditions today, according to the National Weather Service.

Winds are forecast at 20 to 30 mph northeast with 50 mph gusts in the morning, and slowing into the afternoon. Firefighters face another day of high temperatures and low-humidity, prime conditions for fires.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.