California brush fire at US Marine base forces evacuation of 7,000-plus residents
Wind-driven flames racing through miles of dry brush on a US Marine Corps base in Southern California prompted the evacuation of more than 7,000 residents on Thursday from neighborhoods at the edge of the sprawling installation, authorities said.
The so-called Creek Fire erupted Wednesday night along a roadside on the eastern flank of Camp Pendleton, north of San Diego, and charred some 3,000 acres by noon on Thursday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) reported.
No property damage or injuries were reported, but the blaze prompted mandatory evacuations early Thursday of base housing facilities, as well as homes in the adjacent civilian community of Fallbrook, displacing 7,000 people there, CalFire Captain Thomas Shoots said.
As of midday, firefighters had yet to establish firm control lines around the blaze, with containment at zero, although fierce Santa Ana winds that initially fanned the flames through drought-parched grass and brush had subsided by early afternoon, Shoots said.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.
The incident capped the heaviest wildfire season on record in California in terms of total acreage burned, with more than 4 million acres and over 10,000 homes and other structures up in flames. Thirty-three lives were lost.
(Source: Reuters)
Israeli-US estate tycoon brothers charged with decade-long sex trafficking
US, Canadian universities hire Israeli firms to curb pro-Palestinian protests, report says
US nuclear spending cause for concern
VIDEO | Australians rally for Gaza ahead of Christmas festivities
VIDEO | Attacks on Sana'a
Iran reports further drop in annual inflation rate in December
Israel indicts two settlers over suspected spying for Hezbollah
Iran: US airstrikes on Yemen war crimes, violation of international law
Yemeni armed forces down F-18 fighter jet, repel US-UK attack: Spokesman
Iran warns against US-Israeli plot to weaken Muslims, dominate region
VIDEO | Public uproar in US against Israeli regime
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
