UPDATE: The City of Carlsbad reports that eight homes, an eight-unit apartment complex and one commercial structure have been damaged by the fire. Utilities such as water and sewer have not been disrupted.
Carlsbad Unified School District is closing all schools Thursday and Friday. No school structures have been damaged, however, they are closing as a precaution.
All City of Carlsbad Parks & Recreation facilities will be closed Thursday, with the exception of the Carlsbad Senior Center, located at 799 Pine Ave. The senior center will be open its normal hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All regularly scheduled services will be available and the senior center will continue to serve as a “cool zone.” Cole Library and the Library Learning Center will be open, but Carlsbad City Library on Dove Lane will be closed Thursday.
La Costa Canyon High School, located at 1 Maverick Way, Carlsbad, opened as an evacuation shelter run by the Red Cross, however La Costa Canyon High School cannot accept pets. Residents with large animals needing to evacuate should call San Diego County Animal Services for assistance: 619-236-2341.
The City of Carlsbad Mayor and City Manager have signed an emergency declaration allowing the City of Carlsbad to receive emergency funding.
Original story follows:

Photos: Steve Marcotte / OsideNews

Oceanside CA- Firefighters from all over San Diego County battled to save homes in South Carlsbad in what has been named the Poinsettia Fire. Mandatory evacuations were in effect as the fast moving flames caught many residents off guard. The official number of homes destroyed was unavailable but at least four were total losses. Roughly 23,000 people were evacuated. The fire which has burned 400 acres is being treated as a crime scene.
Firefighting resources have been stretched to the limit with fires in San Marcos, Oceanside and multiple fires on Camp Pendleton. The fight to save several homes on Black Rail Road had to be abandoned and were left to burn so fire resources could be better utilized. The fire easily spread with the dry conditions leaving the hillsides smokey and bare.
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