MCB Camp Pendleton

Press Releases

Response teams prevail after Pendleton is burned again

30 Sep 2004 | Gunnery Sgt. Matt Hevezi Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Scorched black into something akin to a lunar landscape, Rattlesnake Canyon won't be the same anytime soon - at least for those who have driven through the once-lush, brush-covered Pendleton landmark and witnessed its eerie transformation. Thousands who live and work on the base pass through the canyon daily on their way to Pendleton's "downtown," otherwise known as Mainside. Having survived last year's 8,500-acre Roblar II fire with no lives or structures lost, commanders and firefighters were ready to slug it out with flames certain to arrive with troublesome Santa Ana winds, tinder-dry brush and air temperatures approaching 100 degrees. One official said the humidity was as low as 18 percent when the fire broke out near the base paintball park just before quitting time Sept. 22.

Firefighters quickly swarmed to the front line of the fast-moving fire to meet it head-on. Within minutes, response teams were setting up battle plans and dumping hundreds of gallons of water into the flames, both from the ground and above.

"It's the most difficult type of fire for us to fight," said Camp Pendleton fire spokesman Scott Simpson, 51, of Oceanside, a career firefighter with 30 years experience battling flames. "With extreme weather conditions like what we had with this fire, you can throw 1,000 firemen at it and still not be able to put it out.

"Everybody was sitting on pins and needles with the extreme and very dangerous weather conditions," Simpson said, referring to "squirrelly" shifting winds that had firefighters marking escape routes and safety zones should the fire overtake them.

Firemen weren't the only ones that were endangered by the fire. Several barracks buildings had to be evacuated.

"After a while, (barracks residents) just wished it would die down so they could go back to sleep," said Lance Cpl. Robert J.W. Lomax, a field wireman with 9th Communication Battalion, whose barracks was evacuated ahead the encroaching flames.

Simpson said 250 firefighters joined the battle that included firefighting aircraft from both Hemet and Ramona. He credited air support, advance planning and teamwork with preventing the fire from consuming dozens of buildings in its path.

"It could have gone a different way," Simpson said.

Response teams prevail after Pendleton is burned again

30 Sep 2004 | Gunnery Sgt. Matt Hevezi Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

PRINT

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- Scorched black into something akin to a lunar landscape, Rattlesnake Canyon won't be the same anytime soon - at least for those who have driven through the once-lush, brush-covered Pendleton landmark and witnessed its eerie transformation. Thousands who live and work on the base pass through the canyon daily on their way to Pendleton's "downtown," otherwise known as Mainside. Having survived last year's 8,500-acre Roblar II fire with no lives or structures lost, commanders and firefighters were ready to slug it out with flames certain to arrive with troublesome Santa Ana winds, tinder-dry brush and air temperatures approaching 100 degrees. One official said the humidity was as low as 18 percent when the fire broke out near the base paintball park just before quitting time Sept. 22.

Firefighters quickly swarmed to the front line of the fast-moving fire to meet it head-on. Within minutes, response teams were setting up battle plans and dumping hundreds of gallons of water into the flames, both from the ground and above.

"It's the most difficult type of fire for us to fight," said Camp Pendleton fire spokesman Scott Simpson, 51, of Oceanside, a career firefighter with 30 years experience battling flames. "With extreme weather conditions like what we had with this fire, you can throw 1,000 firemen at it and still not be able to put it out.

"Everybody was sitting on pins and needles with the extreme and very dangerous weather conditions," Simpson said, referring to "squirrelly" shifting winds that had firefighters marking escape routes and safety zones should the fire overtake them.

Firemen weren't the only ones that were endangered by the fire. Several barracks buildings had to be evacuated.

"After a while, (barracks residents) just wished it would die down so they could go back to sleep," said Lance Cpl. Robert J.W. Lomax, a field wireman with 9th Communication Battalion, whose barracks was evacuated ahead the encroaching flames.

Simpson said 250 firefighters joined the battle that included firefighting aircraft from both Hemet and Ramona. He credited air support, advance planning and teamwork with preventing the fire from consuming dozens of buildings in its path.

"It could have gone a different way," Simpson said.