Two Fires Scorch Camp Pendleton
Teams of firefighters sought Thursday night to extinguish two stubborn blazes that charred at least 2,000 acres in the southeastern part of Camp Pendleton.
The grassland fires threatened two base camps and blackened either side of Basilone Road near Vandegrift Road, said Lt. Kevin Bentley, a base spokesman.
Base officials believe the first blaze, which was reported about 2 p.m., spawned the second, although they had no official cause for the fires.
Camp Pendleton firefighters, aided by crews from San Diego and the California Department of Forestry, were able to surrounded most of the first fire after it charred about 1,000 acres.
The fire threatened but did not damage Camp Vido del Rio, Bentley said. Base officials had to evacuate several workers at that camp, but they were able to return several hours later.
North of Basilone Road, the second fire was out of control late Thursday and had consumed about 1,000 acres, Bentley said.
Planes from the Forestry Department and helicopters from El Toro Marine Base dropped water and fire retardant on the flames.
Bentley said he did not think the fire would affect traffic on the San Diego Freeway, which runs along the base’s western edge.
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