The Camp Pendleton Fire Department and mutual aid assets on Saturday have contained approximately 30 percent of a wildland range fire that started Friday in the northern portion of the Marine Corps base.

 

"The fire began Friday during a training exercise at approximately 12 p.m. in the Quebec Impact Area of the base and had burned approximately 1,000 acres as of 5:30 p.m. today," according to a release issued Saturday by the base's Public Affairs Office. "The growth of the fire in the northern areas has slowed significantly."

 

Heavy smoke will remain visible throughout the evening as previously unburned pockets within the fire perimeter burn. 

 

The Camp Pendleton Fire Department and mutual aid assets are on the scene, as well as two mutual aid helicopters providing support.

 

The blaze, which began as four small brush fires apparently sparked by military exercises, spread over open training grounds at Camp Pendleton amid sweltering late-summer heat, USMC Lt. Ryan Welsh said. As military crews were working to contain those four fires, a fifth broke out toward the south end of the base about 4 p.m. Within 90 minutes, personnel had contained that burn area to about six acres.

 

There are no reports of any injuries or damage to any structures, and there is currently no threat to any structures on base or in the surrounding communities.

Copyright 2012 Scripps Media, Inc. City News Service contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.