Firefighters battling the stubborn Henderson Fire at Camp Pendleton have increased containment to 95% as the blaze covers 3,260 acres, authorities said Monday.
Crews have continued working around the clock to extinguish remaining hot spots, secure the perimeter and mop up following days of intense suppression efforts. Favorable weather changes — including higher relative humidity and a shift to onshore winds — have aided containment progress after the fire initially prompted evacuations and temporary closures of Interstate 5, Cal Fire said.
The fire broke out shortly after 2:30 p.m. Thursday near the intersection of Basilone and Las Pulgas roads, quickly advancing westward and threatening the freeway corridor. At the height of the emergency, authorities temporarily shut down traffic in both directions between Basilone and Harbor Drive as heavy flames burned near the highway.
The blaze destroyed one building on the Marine base, but swift intervention from hundreds of local, state, and military personnel prevented further structural loss. At peak operations, more than 530 personnel, dozens of engines, bulldozers, water tenders, and multiple firefighting air tankers were deployed to tackle the flames, according to the agency.
The San Diego County Incident Management Team assisted with command and coordination. No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire remained under investigation.
