A wildfire burning north of Oceanside on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton has scorched more than 900 acres as of late Monday, July 6, and led to evacuations and a smoke advisory for North San Diego County.
The Pipeline Fire started around 2 p.m. Monday on base about a mile north of Stuart Mesa Road and Hammond Drive. The fire quickly spread, with thick smoke blowing east and northeast toward Fallbrook and Valley Center, and later south toward Escondido, San Marcos and elsewhere in North County, according to authorities and observers. The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District issued a smoke advisory.
“As of Monday evening, winds are carrying smoke to the east and northeast of the fire, toward Fallbrook and Valley Center,” the district reported on its alerts page. “Overnight Monday and into Tuesday morning, winds will be light, and some smoke may drift into Oceanside.”
The fire had grown to 919 acres by Monday evening, according to a Cal Fire update at 7:01 p.m. Camp Pendleton firefighters have jurisdiction over the blaze.
Watch Duty, a membership-based website and phone app that tracks law enforcement and firefighting efforts, reported that two night-flying helicopters and one night-flying helicopter coordinator had been requested in the effort to battle the blaze.
Official Camp Pendleton social media reported that the fire started near Range 501. As of 8:27 p.m., an evacuation order had been lifted for personnel at 33 Area. Evacuation of 32 Area remained in place. Paige Field House was serving as an evacuation center.
