A brush fire that ignited Monday on the northern edge of Camp Pendleton has charred nearly 1,000 acres and spread into the Cleveland National Forest, officials reported Tuesday. The Mateo fire, which began around 1:30 p.m.
in the Quebec training area near San Mateo Creek, was 10% contained Tuesday morning, according to Cleveland National Forest spokesperson Daniel Lanari. The blaze was spreading at a moderate rate through dense, old chaparral brush that had not burned in years, he said.
No structures were threatened, as the fire burned in a remote area of the base and the San Mateo wilderness area. Firefighters from Camp Pendleton and the Cleveland National Forest, including eight hotshot crews and two helicopters, were battling the flames, and additional resources were expected to arrive.
By Tuesday, the fire had reached 990 acres. Lanari noted that challenging terrain and difficult access were hampering control efforts, and he could not provide an estimated containment date.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. A Camp Pendleton official stated that updates would be posted on the base's Facebook page, noting no threat to personnel or property.
A Forest Service news release urged caution with anything that could spark a fire as Southern California weather heats up and vegetation dries out.