This photo shows some of the fires that burned around Marine Base Camp Pendleton in Southern California last week. Although no buildings were damaged and the Marines were able to contain the fires in about 24 hours, there were some hairy moments, as this shot showing how close the blazes got to aircraft (Hueys in this case) attests.
(Gouge: LR)
– Ward
For a second there, I thought this pic was DaNang AFB during TET. A Marine cousin of mine fought in that battle.
Good Morning Folks,
This is a case of don’t believe what you think you see. The Hondo Fire never crossed I-5 and the air strip a Camp Pendleton is about a mile East of I-5.
If you look carefully at the shot it is looking down the runway to the North. The some and flames that appear to be comming at the UH-1’s is in fact at least a mile North/West of the air strip. Those that know photography know that this picture was take with a telaphoto lens which compresses the scene.
No structures or equipment was lost at Camp Pendleton during the current fire storm. Any aircraft at either MCAS Miramar or Camp Pendleton that even had the remotest chance of being involved in the fires was evacuated to NAS Yuma or MCGCB Twenty Nine Plams.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
Thanks for the straight intel, Byron.
If I am not mistaken, those are not all UH-1s on that flight line. About midway down the line, there is one aircraft which has a lower tail section and different engine mounting, at least from what I can tell in the picture. It looks to me like an AH-1 Cobra.
It even seems to have the winglets as well like the AH-1. Can anyone else see that?
Good Afternoon Ward,
The facilities that were the most in danger were the LCAT base and the Amphibious Training Area called Camp Del Mar, both on the West side of I-5. As of last night both these areas were considered secure as the Hondo fire is begaining to burn itself out.
ALLONS,
Byron Skinner
The Horno (not Hondo) fire did cross I-5, near the border checkpoint, I believe. It also over ran Camp Horno and SOI–in fact, driving through the base today you can see, on both sides of Basilone Rd at Camp Horno, utter destruction of the vegetation. Right up to within inches of Camp Horno buildings…but no large structures were damaged other than an obstacle course and few range houses-kudos to the firemen on that one. Camp Del Mar was not really threatened, other than by a smaller fire that started at a power substation and was quickly contained–Camp Del Mar was never evacuated unlike several other spots on base. I don’t think the LCACs were ever seriously threatened. Camp Margarita was evacuated due to the Wilcox fire–that’s most likely the fire you see in the photo above. Some parts near mainside were also evacuated due to the fire that started near the horse stables. Camp Horno and SOI, of course, were evacuated. Las Pulgas was evacuated as well, I believe, and you can see devastation right up to the road across from Camp Las Pulgas. It’s still smoldering, even today.
–Jake