Laguna Beach officials allow most residents to return after fire; Morningside and Rancho remain closed

Mayor Alex Bernaghi said late in the update that most Laguna Beach residents may return to their homes after a nearby fire, but crews are keeping parts of Morningside and Rancho closed as they continue operations.

The Fire Chief told residents that "the forward progress has been stopped" and crews have moved into a mop-up phase that will keep the scene active. "They're putting out all the hot spots. This is labor intensive. It's gonna take probably 24 to 48 hours," the Fire Chief said.

The Fire Chief said emergency resources remain on scene overnight, with hand crews working through the night and into tomorrow. He said the entire perimeter has been lined with a hose line and crews are working "from the outside in" to prevent re-ignition. He also said that, aside from the Morningside and Rancho areas closed because of fire apparatus, "all roadways are open, so our residents can repopulate and go back to their homes."

Mayor Alex Bernaghi asked residents not to come to the scene and to avoid interfering with emergency operations. "We continue to ask people to not come to the scene, to get in the way, to try to get your cars through as this will be a very active scene for the next couple of days," the Fire Chief said. Bernaghi added gratitude for mutual aid, saying the scope of resources on site showed how many firefighters from across the region responded.

Officials did not provide a cause for the fire, an exact acreage burned, or a timetable for when the closed portions of Morningside and Rancho will reopen. No formal evacuation orders or additional restrictions were announced in the transcript; the statements focused on containment status, ongoing mop-up work, and a public request to stay away from the active area.