Two houses were fully engulfed in flames. Firefighters battled those blazes and attempted to prevent surrounding houses from catching fire.
Firefighters used a technique called a "water curtain" to protect surrounding houses.
The fire spread to a third house and caused fire damage, but less severe than the other two.
About 20 minutes after firefighters arrived, one of the houses collapsed from fire damage. That house was valued at $2.6 million.
One person reportedly suffered from smoke inhalation.
Pacific Coast Highway was closed from Anderson Street to Warner Avenue.
Firefighters from Huntington Beach, Fountain Valley and Orange County Fire Authority departments worked together to fight the blaze.
Five homes were evacuated. Two of the homes were destroyed.
The cause of the fires was under investigation. Some neighbors thought an unattended barbecue grill at the collapsed house may have sparked the blaze.
