The May wildfires aboard Camp Pendleton were a stark reminder that a blaze can break out anytime, anywhere when weather conditions are dry, hot, and windy. That's why Camp Pendleton officials are currently training active-duty Marines on the ins and outs of battling wildfires.
Firefighters from CAL FIRE and the Camp Pendleton Fire Department held a Woodland Firefighting Course for Marines with 2nd Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, I Marine Expeditionary Force on June 26.
George Shinrock, the regional program manager for fire emergency services, told I MEF public affairs:
“This is the first time Marines are doing pre-training for a fire deployment. The Marines are learning a lot, and can pass the knowledge they’ve gained when they get back to their units to make the transition for future courses easier.”
According to Camp Pendleton officials, the wildfires that burned on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook (known as the Basilone Complex fires) scorched nearly 22,000 acres - almost 18 percent of the entire base.
