A brush fire ignited and quickly spread over 105 acres during an explosive ordinance disposal detonation training exercise at the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Miramar in San Diego's Miramar area. Remarkably, no injuries or structural damages were reported, and firefighters from various agencies worked together to successfully contain the massive fire NBC San Diego reported.
MCAS Miramar Base Public Affairs Officer, Lt. Jacoby Hawkins, stated that the fire began around 2:30 p.m. in the eastern section of the Marine base, in the area used to clear ordinance known as the "shothole, " per ABC 10. Over 100 firefighters on the scene along with air tankers and helicopters worked diligently to put out the flames. Various agencies came together, including MCAS Miramar Fire Dept., MCAS Miramar Police, CALFire, San Diego FD, Poway FD, Lakeside FD, Rancho Santa Fe FD, and San Diego County Sheriff’s Dept.
The Miramar Fire Department and all-Marine Hand Crew are currently responding to a fire on East Miramar caused by an EOD detonation during training. The fire, which started around 2:34 p.m., has spread approximately two acres. MCAS Miramar is receiving assistance from SDFD (1/2)
— MCAS Miramar (@MCASMiramarCA) July 25, 2023
The San Diego Fire Department also joined the endeavor by using a pair of choppers to make drops, and by having two strike teams on-site ABC 10 News reported. Fortunately, the fire was stopped around 5:45 p.m., and no more flare-ups were observed at that time. The San Diego Union-Tribune mentioned that just before 6 p.m., MCAS officials announced on Twitter that the forward spread of the fire had been stopped, and firefighting crews were working to build containment lines around the burn area.
Footage provided by SkyRanger 7 showcased a long line of fire burning in an area with a lot of dry brush and hills, while air crews could be observed overhead dropping water onto the fire. Additionally, plumes of black smoke could be seen billowing over several large buildings in close proximity to the fire.
In a later post on social media platform X (previously Twitter), MCAS Miramar confirmed that the fire had been fully extinguished by 8:42 p.m. The perilous situation that could have led to catastrophic consequences was avoided through the swift response and teamwork displayed by the multiple firefighting agencies involved.
