Camp Pendleton fires shut down I-5 for second day – NBC 7 San Diego

Firefighters were battling several wildfires in San Diego and Orange counties Friday, including a major fire at a military installation, amid hot, dry winds in Santa Ana that are known to produce devastating wildfires.

From the 2,000-acre Henderson Fire in Camp Pendleton, which closed Interstate 5 lanes two days in a row, to the Norte Fire in San Clemente, which burned several homes, here’s what you need to know about our region’s major wildfires.

Henderson Fire at Camp Pendleton

A spot fire sparked by the Henderson Fire forced the closure of I-5 between Vandergrift Boulevard and Basilone Road around noon Friday as the fire grew to more than 2,000 acres.

All lanes of I-5 were fully reopened as of 5:15 p.m., the California Highway Patrol in Oceanside said.

The Henderson fire broke out around 2 p.m. Thursday and quickly spread in gusty winds, prompting the evacuation of the military base. A temporary evacuation control center was set up at Paige Field House to house Marines and sailors displaced due to evacuations in the Las Flores area, Camp Pendleton said.

Heavy smoke from the fire also closed the highway in both directions for about an hour during the evening commute. Rail service between San Diego and Orange counties also experienced delays and cancellations due to the fire. Travelers were advised to check Amtrack for the latest information.

Some areas of the base were forced to evacuate, but no evacuations took place Friday. Several roads on base were closed, including access through the Las Pulgas gate to all access other than emergency vehicles. The Camp Pendleton Road and Gate Conditions website has the latest updates.

The Camp Pendleton Fire Department was working in coordination with Cal Fire and other agencies to fight the fire. By Friday evening, firefighters had managed to control the fire to 20%.

An active smoke advisory has been issued for the southern military base area, specifically the communities of South Camp Pendleton, Oceanside, Carlsbad and Vista, according to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.

Cal Fire is on alert for fires to spread rapidly over the next few days due to Santa Ana winds. They spent the day preparing for what awaits them. NBC 7’s Dana Williams has the story.

Another fire broke out around 11:30 a.m. Friday in San Clemente and quickly grew to several hundred acres amid Santa Ana winds.

The so-called Northern Fire had burned more than 500 acres as of 8 p.m. and burned at least 6 homes, most of them near Avenida Calita, Via La Mirada and Via De Agua in San Juan Capistrano.

Evacuation orders were issued in several areas of both cities, ranging from Highway 5 to the south, La Pata Avenue to the north, Descanso Park to the west and Foster Ranch to the east. The area includes about 4,600 homes and 16,000 residents, OCFA Fire Chief TJ McGovern said at an evening news conference.

Large-scale fire near Camp Pendleton

At the same time, another small fire broke out near the San Onofre checkpoint around 11:30 a.m.

The fire prompted the evacuation of campgrounds in San Onofre and forced the closure of railroad tracks connecting Orange County to San Diego. The Henderson Fire subsequently prevented trains from running as scheduled, if at all.

The fire burned about 20 acres around 2 p.m. Firefighters continued to extinguish hot spots of the Scales Fire until full containment was achieved around 8 p.m.

As Santa Ana winds peaked across the county, NBC 7’s Joe Little spent the day in East County where those winds kicked into high gear.

Santa Ana weather fuels wildfires

Conditions in Santa Ana throughout California increased the risk of fires throughout the weekend.

San Diego County was under a High Wind Warning for inland, mountain and foothill areas of San Diego County, as well as a heat advisory for coastal areas through Sunday.

Winds peaked Friday and spread westward into the interior valleys, said meteorologist Greg Bledsoe of NBC 7. Relative humidity was below the teens in some areas and temperatures were above average for this time of year.

Bledsoe warned that conditions were ripe to start and spread wildfires.

“Fire danger is currently extreme in most inland areas,” Bledsoe said Friday.

This is breaking news. Details may change as information is released.