
Update, 5:15 p.m.: AP is reporting the campus of California State University, San Marcos is being evacuated. A full evacuation was ordered for "the school of nearly 10,000 students about 30 miles north of downtown San Diego is having final exams this week with graduation ceremonies this weekend."
In addition, another fire has broken out approximately "20 miles to the north of the university near Fallbrook, forcing the shutdown of a stretch of Interstate 15."
Update, 3:15 p.m.: A fire burning in the San Diego County town of Carlsbad has burned about 30 homes and prompted officials to issue 15,000 evacuation notices.
According to the Los Angeles Times account of the blaze, dubbed the Poinsettia Fire:
A fast-moving wildfire has burned 30 homes in Carlsbad, prompting San Diego County authorities to declare a local emergency as at least four other brush fires raged in nearby communities.
Fueled by high temperatures, winds and dry conditions, the Poinsettia fire in Carlsbad alone had ... burned through at least 150 acres by midday Wednesday. Hundreds of homes and businesses, as well as several elementary schools and libraries were evacuated as the blaze raged out of control.
“It's just, unfortunately, a recipe for a large fire and that’s what we’re seeing right now,” Cal Fire Capt. Mike Mohler said.
Firefighters across the region were hampered by record-breaking temperatures, sustained winds and tinder-dry vegetation.
At Camp Pendleton, the Tomahawk fire had burned more than 150 acres as of midday, had also forced widespread evacuations, including at the San Onofre nuclear power plant.
Southern California Edison said in a tweet that "about a dozen non-essential employees evacuated" from the plant because of the fire.
From the San Diego Union-Tribune:
Carlsbad has suffered the worst damage so far, with flames reported to be burning homes in the areas of Poinsettia Lane and Alicante Road, including on Cinnabar Way, Skimmer Court, Black Rail Road and Bluegrass Drive. Firefighters were making stands at many houses, trying to save them.
Mahnoosh Arsanjani watched from the corner of Skimmer off Poinsettia with tears in her eyes as smoke billowed near her own house.
"It's like a scene from Armageddon," Arsanjani said. She said she got an evacuation notice by text and hurried home to help her husband grab their wedding photos and dog.
Public media outlet KPBS says that firefighters on the scene of the Poinsettia fire say they're making progress against the blaze:
Firefighters say they are "getting the upper hand but still have days more of work" to put out an aggressive fire that has destroyed at least three homes in Carlsbad, damaged at least 10 more and scorched more than 150 acres. No injuries were reported.
Cal Fire Batallion Chief Nick Schuler said at a press conference that while the Poinsettia fire did destroy at least three homes, the "amount of homes saved is phenomenal."
As of 1:30 p.m., approximately 15,000 evacuations notifications have been sent. More than 11,000 homes were evacuated.
From previous post: The most dangerous fire Wednesday afternoon appeared to be in Carlsbad, a coast town about 30 miles up Interstate 5 from downtown San Diego. The San Diego Union-Tribune reports that emergency officials sent out automated evacuation notices to 11,627 homes, businesses and cellphones. The U-T says hundreds of Carlsbad residents have fled rapidly advancing flames.