Henderson Fire burns 1,404 acres at Camp Pendleton, closes Interstate 5 and forces base evacuations
The fire erupted Thursday afternoon on the Marine Corps base, grew from 400 acres to 1,404 in a single evening, emptied the Las Flores area and shut the freeway in both directions for about an hour. It was still uncontained late Thursday, with Santa Ana winds set to peak Friday.
CAMP PENDLETON: A brush fire that erupted Thursday afternoon at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton grew to 1,404 acres by Thursday evening, forced the evacuation of the base's Las Flores area, closed Interstate 5 in both directions for about an hour, and was still 0 percent contained late Thursday, as the season's first moderate to strong Santa Ana wind event pushed through Southern California.
The growth was fast from the start. Pushed by winds out of the east, the fire charred roughly 400 acres within its first 90 minutes, according to Cal Fire reporting carried by City News Service. Cal Fire estimated it at 1,117 acres by about 4:30 p.m., KPBS reported, and at 1,404 acres by 8:14 p.m. The fire threatened structures and overhead power lines, and four airtankers were assigned during the initial response. As of mid-afternoon Thursday, the fire had caused no reported structural damage or injuries.
Authorities ordered the Las Flores area of the base, the 41 Area, to evacuate, with evacuation points at Paige Field House in the 11 Area and the 21 Area gym, where the base set up a temporary evacuation control center. The evacuation order was lifted at 7:31 p.m. On the base, Las Pulgas Road was closed between Brown Street and Stuart Mesa Road, and the Las Pulgas Gate was closed to all traffic except emergency vehicles.
An hour with the freeway shut
Off the base, the fire briefly stopped the region's main north-south artery. Interstate 5 was closed in both directions between Harbor Drive in Oceanside and Basilone Road at about 5 p.m., the California Highway Patrol said, and reopening began at 5:49 p.m., with lanes reopened at about 6 p.m. The Camp Pendleton Fire Department held jurisdiction over the fire, supported by air and ground units from Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service, and crews worked through the evening. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The wind behind it
The Henderson Fire was the largest of several fires that broke out across Southern California on Thursday during the Santa Ana event, and the danger is not past. The National Weather Service office in San Diego expects gusts of 50 to 65 mph in the mountains and up to 70 mph near the foothills through Saturday night, with the winds peaking Friday and slowly weakening over the weekend while the dry air stays in place.
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