Navy helos join fight against wildfires

[unhappycamper]

Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 85 out of Naval Air Station North Island is supporting the California Department of Forestry's efforts in combating the San Diego wildfires.


Navy helos join fight against wildfires
By Gidget Fuentes - Staff writer
Posted : Tuesday Oct 23, 2007 19:38:28 EDT

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — Navy helicopters carrying buckets of water joined in a major firefighting effort as large wildfires continued to burn Tuesday across San Diego County.

With a 6,000-acre wildfire raging in an adjacent town, some residents at Camp Pendleton remained on guard Tuesday to prepare for an emergency evacuation if the Rice fire in neighboring town of Fallbrook further threatens the base and homes along the Santa Margarita River valley. Two smaller fires flared up in the morning on the base, county fire officials said.

Camp Pendleton is assisting the U.S. Northern Command “and has provided nine firefighting vehicles and 24 crew members to support firefighting efforts,” base officials said Tuesday morning in a statement. “At this time, no Marine units have been tasked to assist in fighting the wildfires.”

Residents of several on-base neighborhoods in the east part of the base — De Luz, Serra Mesa, San Luis Rey and O’Neill housing areas — were told Monday to prepare to evacuate their families if the mandatory evacuation order comes.

San Diego County authorities so far ordered the evacuation of 513,000 homes across the county as of midday Tuesday as firefighters continue to battle several large wildfires amid “extreme” fire conditions, officials said. Schools were closed Tuesday, some freeways were shut down and many businesses remained closed.

“The next 24 hours is very critical. It’s volatile,” San Diego Fire Chief Capt. Tracy Jarman said at a noon press conference.


Rest of article at: http://www.navytimes.com/news/2007/10/navy_evacuationsfires_071023w/