The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection ordered thousands of Southern California residents to evacuate around 2:55 a.m. local time on Thursday
As of this article's publication, around 35% of the wildfire has reportedly been contained, according to Cal Fire.
#CreekFire on Camp Pendleton [update] Fire is 300 acres, 0% contained. Significant new evacuation orders for 7,000 residents on west side of Fallbrook (roughly south of Main Ave/S. Mission Rd). Please visit https://t.co/kFNyPzwgZX for the latest info. pic.twitter.com/TeoHoFSsNz
— CAL FIRE/SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE (@CALFIRESANDIEGO) December 24, 2020
NBC Los Angeles reported that a number of road closures also went into place around the area, which sits outside of the Camp Pendleton, a 195-square-mile US Marine Corps. base between Los Angeles and San Diego, California.
"Camp Pendleton has issued a mandatory evacuation order for the DeLuz Housing, Wounded Warrior Battalion, and Lake O’Neill Campground areas due to a fire near Naval Weapons Station - Fallbrook," the installation announced in a Thursday alert.
While the fire has yet to be contained Brig. Gen. Dan Conley, he did note that the threat level remains low for Camp Pendleton's residential areas.
"Fire crews continue to work the fire. They're still doing some hand-digging," Conley explained, referring to containment lines. At the same time, evacuations were to remain in place "out of an abundance of caution.
Update: Brig. Gen. Dan Conley, commanding general of MCIWest, provides the most recent updates on the #CreekFire pic.twitter.com/xWvA3cvYeQ
— Camp Pendleton (@MCIWPendletonCA) December 24, 2020
Camp Pendleton Fire Department Chief Ryan Rushing issued an update from the military installation's official Twitter account, noting that "steep terrain, difficult access and winds" have interfered with emergency responders' ability to contain the wildfire.
