Fire crews mop up a three-acre vegetation fire that threatened homes near northbound Interstate 5 freeway in Oceanside. Photo: Gina Yarbrough/San Diego County News

By Gina Yarbrough

Oceanside, CA–Fire crews contained a fast-moving three-acre vegetation fire near northbound Interstate 5 Saturday afternoon that threatened homes, according to authorities.  

Oceanside Fire Department, along with Cal Fire San Diego, Vista, Carlsbad, and Camp Pendleton Fire Department units responded to reports of the blaze at 2:21 p.m. in the southeast corner of Interstate 5 and Highway 76, just east of the Harbor Cliff condo community, according to Oceanside Fire Battalion Chief Jessamyn Specht.

Fire crews received initial reports of several separate small fires in the area, Specht said in a news release.

The small fires rapidly merged into one fire and quickly spread to the west side of Harbor Cliff Condo Complex. 

County Copter 10 was dispatched to the scene and made several water drops along the hot flank of the fire which slowed its spread. Crews on the ground were able to fully extinguish the fire. They remained on the scene for another three hours to mop up the hot spots.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Oceanside Fire Department. 

No firefighters or civilians were injured and no structures or property was damaged by the fire.