Second Blaze Burns Briefly at Pendleton : Brush fires: This one scorches about 200 acres just east of the three-day fire. Both are under investigation.
SAN CLEMENTE — Another brush fire broke out Friday morning in the Camp Pendleton hills, just east of the acreage scorched in a dramatic three-day fire earlier this week.
Marine Cpl. Connie Panichi said the latest fire burned 200 acres and lasted from about 11:15 a.m. to 2 p.m., bringing to about 5,000 acres the total amount blackened by fire this week on and near the Marine Corps base.
As in the earlier fire, the cause of Friday’s blaze is “under investigation,†Panichi said. Reports that the earlier fire, which started Tuesday night, was sparked by military maneuvers could not be confirmed.
“We have no word at all on anything like that,†Panichi said.
Capt. Dan Young, a spokesman for the Orange County Fire Department, said the location of a fire’s beginning can usually be determined quickly. He added that if something like downed power lines ignited the fire, that would probably already have been determined.
“Most of the time, investigators can identify at least where a fire started within minutes,†he said.
Jack Stubbs, a spokesman for the San Clemente Fire Department, the first department called to assist Camp Pendleton firefighters Tuesday evening, said he was convinced that the blaze was not arson.
“Downed wires are what our people are talking about now,†Stubbs said. “I am satisfied it was not arson or a Marine maneuver-related start.â€
Stubbs, who was at San Clemente City Hall working on election results when the fire call came in about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, said the inordinately strong winds were the reason the fire burned until about 4 p.m. Thursday.
“Our firefighters were saying that the wind gusts were up to 65 m.p.h., maybe higher,†Stubbs said. “When you charge up a hose line, turn on the water and then see it blown right back in your face, it makes conventional firefighting equipment seem pretty inadequate. We have veteran firefighters here who have seen a lot of fires, and they said this was exceptionally bad.â€
Young said his firefighters estimated the wind gusts hit 80 m.p.h.
“That fire jumped Interstate 5 like it was nothing,†Young added.
About 450 firefighters, 71 fire engines and four bulldozers from 12 fire agencies worked on the three-day blaze, but only one injury was reported. San Juan Capistrano firefighter Shawn Barret suffered an injured ankle.
“That’s a pretty good safety record,†Young said.
Young warned that the fire season has a long way to go.
“November is historically the worst fire month in this area, probably all over Southern California,†he said. “We need some rain, not one day of rain, but three or four good days of rain, before we are out of trouble. It is very dry out there.â€
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