page_title: May 2014 San Diego County wildfires
section_title: Pulgas Fire
hierarchical_section_title: May 2014 San Diego County wildfires / Wildfires / Pulgas Fire
caption_attribution_description: English: The Las Pulgas Fire burns behind the Marine Corps Air Station at Camp Pendleton, Calif., 16 May, 2014. The Las Pulgas Wildfire on Camp Pendleton has burned more than 15,000 acres and is the largest fire in San Diego County history. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Ethan Johnson/MCIW-MCB CamPen COMCAM/Released)
context_page_description: The May 2014 San Diego County wildfires were a swarm of 20 wildfires that erupted during May 2014, in San Diego County, California, during severe Santa Ana Wind conditions, historic drought conditions, and a heat wave. The main event during mid-May was preceded by a precursor fire that ignited on May 5. The Bernardo Fire has been declared accidental, and officials believe the Cocos Fire was intentionally set. The causes of the other fires are still under investigation by multiple agencies, and a joint task force was formed to coordinate the investigations and facilitate communications. Six injuries and one fire-related fatality were reported.
  At least eight major fires were burning simultaneously at the height of the event, as well as several unnamed small brush fires. Smoke from the fires also prompted health advisories in parts of Orange and Los Angeles counties.
  On May 14, the County of San Diego declared a local emergency. Later that evening, Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency for the county and affected areas.
context_section_description: At 2:45 PM PDT on May 15, the Pulgas Fire broke out at Camp Pendleton near Interstate 5 at Las Pulgas Road, to the north of Oceanside. The fire quickly burned 500 acres (200 ha) acres within the next couple of hours. It became the largest of the fires in May 2014, scorching a total of 14,416 acres (5,834 ha) of land, before it was fully contained on May 21.
caption: The Pulgas Fire burning above Camp Pendleton at night, on May 16, 2014
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