CAMP PENDLETON — Crews continued work Thursday to contain a 560-acre brush fire at Camp Pendleton after firefighters stopped the blaze’s forward progress Wednesday afternoon.
U.S. Marine Corps firefighters responded around 10 a.m. Wednesday to an area near the Marine Memorial Golf Course, which was evacuated shortly after the fire started, according to fire officials.
“It moved east along the city of Oceanside border and burned an unknown amount of open brush type of vegetation near Whelan Lake,” Oceanside Fire Department Battalion Chief Jeremy Brandt said in a statement Wednesday.
According to a Camp Pendleton spokeswoman, the fire’s forward progress “was stopped at 3:32 p.m. (Wednesday).”
“Firefighters remained on scene overnight and into the morning to continue to work the fire,” 1st Lt. Natalia K. Rhodes said in an emailed statement Thursday.
“Due to the fire’s location and out of an abundance of caution, the Camp Pendleton Golf Course was evacuated,” Rhodes added. “There were no residential evacuation orders for Camp Pendleton and there is currently no safety threat to personnel aboard the installation.”
By 4 p.m. June 10, the Oceanside Fire Department lifted all evacuation warnings related to the fire, which was 50% contained.
Cal Fire assisted with fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters and bulldozers. A total of 14 aircraft from state, federal and private agencies, including fixed-wing planes and firefighting helicopters, were involved in battling the blaze on Wednesday.
Firefighters drew water from local sources, including the Oceanside Golf Course, while aircraft reloaded fire retardant at airfields in Hemet and San Bernardino, according to authorities.
Health officials warned nearby residents that smoke from the fire was creating unhealthy air quality conditions.
No injuries or deaths were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
