2 separate fires burn at Camp Pendleton

SAN CLEMENTE – The Orange County Fire Authority reports southern parts of Orange County were getting smoke from fires burning at Camp Pendleton on Saturday, July 7, and assured San Clemente residents that they were not in danger.

Two separate brush fires at Camp Pendleton had scorched more than 1,500 acres, and the Marines early today reported firefighting progress and lifted some evacuations.

One fire, referred to as the Vandergrift Incident, broke out around 11:30 a.m. Friday in the Mainside area of the base. It had burned 560 acres and was 70 percent contained Saturday morning, according to a tweet from Camp Pendleton officials.

The other fire, known as the Horno Incident, was reported as being at 50 acres at about 7 p.m. Friday but had quickly spread to more than 1,000 acres Saturday.

It was 10 percent contained as of 10 a.m., base officials tweeted.

Basilone Road was shut down from 43 Area in the center of the base to the 52 Area to the north as a result of that fire.

Evacuations were ordered for Lake O’Neill Recreational Park, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service building, the O’Neill Heights housing community, DeLuz Family Housing and DeLuz Child Development Center on Friday, and evacuees were directed to the Paige Field House. Around 750 homes had been evacuated around 3 p.m. Friday.

By 10 p.m., Camp Pendleton tweeted that three specific areas — O’Neill Heights housing, Wounded Warrior regiment and 27 Area barracks — were cleared to be reopened. The base also tweeted around 4:30 a.m. Saturday that De Luz housing was cleared to be reopened, but De Luz Road remained closed near Vandergrift Boulevard.

It was unclear how many homes remained evacuated Saturday.