A raging brush fire fueled by strong winds has forced the mandatory evacuation of Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base in San Diego as 7,000 residents were also ordered to flee, according to reports.
The blaze in northern San Diego County was part of the larger Creek Fire, which has reportedly burned upwards of a thousand acres in Fallbrook, amid steep terrain that is hard to reach by firefighters.
Flames were seen approaching the area where the Naval Weapons Station issued an alert around 6:30 a.m. local time. The wildfire was continuing to spread and had burned as close as 1½ miles away from the base, reports said.
No injuries nor damage have been reported as of mid-morning, and no structures were under threat, according to radio communications by emergency responders.
Fire officials warned residents in the area while a local high school was set up as a help station for evacuees.
Personnel at the base, meanwhile, was ordered to relocate to Paige Fieldhouse, according to an official statement from the military.
The evacuation order was issued for the DeLuz Housing, Wounded Warrior Battalion, and Lake O’Niell Campground areas.
About the Author
ArLuther Lee is a visual editor and occasionally covers national and world news for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from The University of Florida and has been a journalist for more than 25 years.
