925-Acre Brush Fire Sends Smoke Across Temecula, Murrieta

Temecula CA

09 June, 2021

6:36 PM

Description

OCEANSIDE, CA — Prescribed burns were continuing this week at Camp Pendleton Marine Corps Base, and drift smoke has been impacting Southwest Riverside County. Yet shortly before 4 p.m. Wednesday, Camp Pendleton Fire Department announced it was working to contain a 925-acre fire on the base. It's unclear whether the blaze was ignited as part of controlled burns or possibly by live munitions' training that has been ongoing at the base this week. "The cause of the fire is unknown at this time," a base official said. The large wildland blaze — dubbed the Sierra Fire — prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue an advisory Wednesday night warning that smoke and ash were causing unhealthy air quality in Southwest Riverside County and as far northeast as the San Gorgonio Pass Area. Base officials released a map outlining the fire's location, which showed it burning on the southeast side of the military installation. CPFD will continue battling the blaze through the night, and more personnel are expected to arrive Thursday morning, base officials said. There were no immediate reports of injuries. #SierraFire UPDATE as of 5:10 p.m.CPFD and neighboring fire departments are working to contain a fire of unknown size east of the 33 Area. The Evacuation Control Center is located at Paige Fieldhouse, as indicated by the "here" icon. The cause of the fire is unknown. pic.twitter.com/1kQ8tCsAqS— Camp Pendleton (@MCIWPendletonCA) June 10, 2021 CPFD is working to contain a 1,000 acre fire east of the 33 Area. Mandatory evacuation for the following areas: 25 area (Lake O'Neill Camp Ground, Wounded Warrior Battalion), 26 area and 27 area. Evacuation Control Center is located at Paige Fieldhouse. Follow for updates.— Camp Pendleton (@MCIWPendletonCA) June 9, 2021 The blaze was initially reported at 1,000 acres, but officials downsized it late Wednesday night. Base evacuations were ordered Wednesday afternoon, including at Lake O'Neill Camp Ground, and the Wounded Warrior Battalion, but they were lifted at 8 p.m. Base road closures were also announced, but as of 7:25 p.m. Basilone Road was reopened, including the Vandergrift Boulevard intersection. San Diego County-based North County Fire Protection District tweeted just before 4:30 p.m. that residents in its service area were not immediately threatened by the brusher. Base officials did not expect to have another fire update available until Thursday morning. Controlled burns were taking place June 7-11 on the base as part of Wildland Fire School. The annual training event brings numerous federal and local firefighting agencies together to gain experience tackling wildland fires. Reminder that the Wildland Fire School will start today and continue through Friday. Smoke is to be expected. Here are a few photos of the prescribed burns from these last few weeks: pic.twitter.com/IZHk3MwrH5— Camp Pendleton (@MCIWPendletonCA) June 7, 2021 An unrelated controlled burn was also planned Wednesday along the Santa Rosa Plateau west of Murrieta, and officials advised residents and motorists not to be alarmed by the smoke. Roughly 60 acres were slated to be torched by Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department crews in the area of Tenaja and Forest Boundary roads. The operation was planned between 7 a.m. and noon