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Saddleback Church Faces Wildfire Threat
Saddleback Church, a prominent Christian denomination in Southern California, is battling the threat of a wildfire that has already consumed two acres of their main campus in Lake Forest.
According to a social media post by Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren, the wildfire fire which began on Sunday at 1 p.m. consumed approximately two acres of the church’s 120-acre campus.
Pastor Warren who founded Saddleback Church in 1980 but retired from the pulpit in 2022 has issued a call for prayers from fans and followers.
“Please pray: 2 acres of Saddleback Church have already been consumed by wildfire as of this moment. It’s our main campus (out of 20) in Lake Forest, ” he shared.
While no buildings were directly threatened, the fire’s proximity to the church’s parking lots raised concerns.
The City of Lake Forest confirmed via its official X handle that the fire was quickly contained by the Orange County Fire Authority on Sunday. by 1:35 p.m.
“A 2-acre fire near Saddleback Church was quickly contained by the OC Fire Authority on Sunday. The two-acre blaze was reported at 1 p.m. and reported under control by 1:35 p.m.,” the city of Lake Forest shared.
This incident marks the second time in recent weeks that Saddleback Church has faced the threat of wildfires. A few weeks ago, the church was impacted by a series of wildfires that burned near their property. The current wildfire, however, poses a more immediate and serious threat due to its proximity to the main campus.
While the exact cause of the fire remains unknown, the Orange County Incident Authority reported sighting a young person riding an e-bike in the area shortly before the blaze erupted.
There is speculation that the teenager may have inadvertently started the fire and attempted to extinguish it using a fire extinguisher before officials arrived.
Investigators are currently working to determine the precise cause of the fire and whether the teenager’s actions played a role in igniting the flames.
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