OCEANSIDE, Calif. (CNS) - A 75-acre brush fire in Oceanside, south of Camp Pendleton, was stopped Sunday with no loss of structures, but at one point forced residents in surrounding neighborhoods to evacuate.
The evacuation order was lifted at 5:24 p.m., but non-residents were asked to avoid the area for the next several hours while first responders continue to work on the scene, according to the Oceanside Fire Department.
Residents in the 300 block of Rimhurst Court, Shadowtree, and all of Wala Drive were asked to evacuate as firefighters battled the fire near the 600 block of Wala Drive.
The fire was first reported at 12:21 p.m. Sunday with firefighters from the OFD, Camp Pendleton, Cal Fire San Diego, the North County Fire Protection District, Vista, Encinitas, and Carlsbad responding. The blaze was estimated at 80 acres on Sunday afternoon but later reduced to 75.
Two air tankers were spreading retardant over the area at 1:45 p.m. The fire was stopped at 4:04 p.m. and all air resources were released at 4:18 p.m.
A plume of black smoke blanketed the area and could be seen for miles.
Authorities warned at 3 p..m. that smoke from the Oceanside fire was drifting into southwest Riverside County.
The city of Murrieta tweeted that smoke from the fire was "coming into our community" and reassured residents that there were no active fires in Murrieta.
Mop-up operations were expected to go into the evening.
