A massive fire at Camp Pendleton caused the Marines in northern San Diego County to issue evacuation orders early Thursday as Santa Anna’s winds brought stormy and dangerous. Dry conditions To Southern California.

The evacuation orders – which have since been lifted – affected 7,000 residents on the western side of the Fallbrook community and at some Camp Pendleton sites, according to the base, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Wildfire Cale Fire said, Known as the Creek Fire, It was 35% contained and at least 3,500 acres had burned as of Thursday night.

National Weather Service forecasts moderate to Santa Anna’s strong winds locally Wednesday until midday Thursday.

The San Diego Bureau of Meteorology reports that winds have peaked and slowly weakened. The highest wind speed recorded in San Diego County was 71 miles per hour.

Utilities are preemptively cutting off power to thousands of customers in target areas to prevent fires due to falling lines or sparks from wind debris hitting electrical equipment.

Southern California Edison had switched off electricity to more than 18,000 customers earlier Thursday. Nearly 6,800 San Diego Gas & Electric customers have been withheld and over 24,000 others have been warned that they may lose power as well.

Camp Pendleton stretches over 195 square miles of coastal and mountainous land.

Peter Martinez contributed to this report.