NORTH COUNTY — Residents have been on edge for weeks as wildfires rage across Southern California.
Over the past week those nerves exploded as at least half a dozen fires broke out in San Diego County, including the Lilac Fire and Bernardo Fire near Rancho Bernardo. Both of those blazes were contained and extinguished without much damage, but the fear was palpitating throughout the region.
Oceanside dodged a bullet on Friday after a brush fire broke out in the San Luis Rey River. Thankfully, an Oceanside fire crew was returning to its station when it saw the plume and knew “exactly” where to go, one official said.
The riverbed is home to a large encampment and OFD was able to squash the fire before the winds kicked up. The whole riverbed is packed with dry and dead vegetation running to the ocean and is a perfect tunnel of destruction if winds catch a spark.
