Fallbrook residents allowed to return home in Tomahawk Fire

CAMP PENDLETON (CNS) – A fire that scorched about 6,300 acres on the eastern outskirts of Camp Pendleton over the past couple days was about 15% contained Thursday night and another 600-acre fire that sparked on the other side of the sprawling installation today was 0% contained.

The most recent blaze broke out about 3:15 p.m. near a sewage plant in the Las Pulgas area and prompted the evacuation of 309 personnel to the School of Infantry Parade deck behind the mess hall, the officials said. Another 62 Marines from Camp Margarita were evacuated to Camp Del Mar.

Military personnel in the Camp Las Flores area near Las Pulgas were later ordered to evacuate to Camp Del Mar.

The first and largest of the fires – the Tomahawk Fire – erupted for unknown reasons around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at the Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook at the edge of Camp Pendleton, then spread onto the North County Marine Corps installation. The Fallbrook facility lost power and will be closed Friday.

Residents of the approximately 500 Fallbrook households on Olive Hill Road between South Mission and Burma roads received an evacuation message via phone, email or text message because the fire temporarily threatened to spread off base, according to sheriff’s officials.

They were later allowed to return home, but were advised that Olive Hill and Burma roads remained closed at Sleeping Indian Road.

One Camp Pendleton firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion, but no other injuries had been reported.

Another fire broke out on Wednesday on the eastern side of Interstate 5, near Las Pulgas Road, about 15 minutes after the first, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The blaze, which was possibly caused by a fire that engulfed and gutted a box truck, blackened 30 acres and prompted a temporary closure of both sides of the freeway in the area.