LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (KABC) -- A fire erupted Wednesday afternoon and is threatening structures in Laguna Niguel, officials said. The so-called Beacon Fire broke out near Ridgeway Avenue and Alcott Place. It is unclear how many acres have burned, but the Orange County Fire Authority is on scene actively battling the flames.

Tim White, 54, fled his Laguna Niguel house with his wife. He said he lives in the Monarch Summit neighborhood, south of the fire, and decided to evacuate Wednesday before the order came.

A 40-year-old Laguna Niguel man pleaded guilty Friday to using a semi-automatic rifle to repeatedly fire at an Orange County Sheriff’s Department helicopter from his home last year, federal prosecutors said.