CAMP PENDLETON – An aggressive attack and a turn in the weather helped firefighters gain the upper hand on a wildfire yesterday that scorched 1,500 acres on Camp Pendleton, but drifting smoke prompted air-quality officials to issue a health advisory throughout Southern California.

Full control on the November fire, named after the training area where it started, was expected last night as firefighters worked to extinguish remaining hot spots.

“If firefighters wouldn't have jumped on this thing as quickly as they did and as aggressively as they did, it could have gotten much worse,” said Camp Pendleton Fire Inspector Bill Gick.

The fire was first reported about 3:30 p.m. Wednesday at Range 401, an explosive-ordnance disposal area, Gick said. Eventually it burned the hillsides north of Oceanside, just shy of the city limits. Streets in the area were clogged with worried onlookers trying to gauge how close the flames were.

A second fire broke out near a military housing complex at 9 p.m. but was quickly brought under control.

Yesterday afternoon, a third fire popped up but was quickly stopped at 10 acres, base officials said. That fire was reported about 12:45 p.m. and burned in the area of Range 800, in the eastern portion of the base at one of its highest elevations, Gick said. The area is surrounded by roads, he said.

Base officials said that fire was 100 percent contained by about 1:40 p.m.

Lower temperatures and decreasing winds aided firefighters in the effort, base officials said.

The causes of all three blazes were unknown.

The fires sent billows of smoke into the sky. The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued an advisory saying the smoke could create unhealthy air quality for some people, including those with medical conditions such as heart or lung disease.

The smoke drifted as far south as Solana Beach and was seen in Orange County and in Riverside County.

Staff writer Susan Shroder contributed to this report.

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Debbi Baker: (619) 293-1710; debbi.baker@uniontrib.com