Large Camp Pendleton Brush Fire Sends Smoke Over SoCal

CAMP PENDLETON - Firefighters today continued battling a brush fire that has spread across thousands of open acres at Camp Pendleton, sending a pall of brown smoke over the northern reaches of the San Diego area and into southern Orange County.

The blaze, which erupted Tuesday toward the northern end of the military installation, had blackened about 4,000 acres as of late Thursday afternoon but was posing no structural threats, according to base public-affairs personnel. By then, crews had the sprawling burn area roughly 20% contained, military officials advised.

The conflagration, dubbed the Canyon Fire, prompted the South Coast Air Quality Management District to issue a smoke advisory for southern Orange County, warning that atmospheric pollution could reach unhealthy levels for ``sensitive groups'' of people through late Friday afternoon.

The sooty conditions were expected to spread along the coast of Orange County and into southwestern Riverside County before dissipating, according to the agency.

AQMD officials advised those in areas affected by the smoke to:

-- Limit their exposure by remaining indoors with windows and doors

closed or seeking alternate shelter;

-- Avoid vigorous physical activity;

-- Run a home air conditioner or air purifier if possible, and shun so-

called ``swamp coolers'' or fans that bring in outside air;

-- Avoid burning wood in home fireplaces or fire pits, and minimize sources of indoor air pollution, such as candles, incense, pan-frying and grilling; and

-- Consider using a properly fit N95 or P100 respirator while outdoors, as the devices may provide some degree of protection.

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