6,000 Acre Tomahawk Fire Is 20% Contained

A fire that scorched about 6,000 acres at Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook and on the eastern side of Camp Pendleton amid dry, blisteringly hot conditions was about 20 percent contained early today.

The so-called Tomahawk Fire erupted for unknown reasons around 9:45 a.m. Wednesday at Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook on the outskirts of Camp Pendleton, then spread onto the North County Marine Corps installation. Naval Weapons Station Fallbrook lost power and will be closed today.

Another fire charred more than two dozen acres along Interstate 5 and forced a full closure of the freeway for several hours.

Authorities evacuated the station along with military housing in the De Luz area, where the fire also knocked out power and damaged about 40 lines, base officials said. Crews delayed starting repairs overnight due to safety concerns.

Mary Fay Pendleton Elementary School and De Luz Child Development Center were also evacuated.

Residents of the O'Neill Heights housing area were allowed to return home Wednesday night.

Base officials said nearly 900 evacuees sought shelter at the Paige Fieldhouse, and children evacuated from the De Luz Child Development Center were relocated to the Fisher Child Care Center.

The second blaze broke out 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.

Military and civilian crews from several area agencies battled the flames on the ground and from firefighting aircraft.

—City News Service