Firefighters Battle Camp Pendleton Blazes; 2,000 Acres Burn

Teams of firefighters sought Thursday night to extinguish two stubborn blazes that charred at least 2,000 acres in the southeastern area of this sprawling Marine base.

The grassland blaze threatened two base camps and blackened both sides of Basilone Road near Vandegrift Road, said Lt. Kevin Bentley, a base spokesman.

Base officials believe that the first blaze, which was reported at 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 state Department of Forestry, were able to surround 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 Corps Air Station dropped water and fire retardant on the flames.

Bentley said he did not think the fire would affect traffic on Interstate 5.