Posted on June 28, 2024
In grateful appreciation of the many regional partners that aided in extinguishing the Oceanside Pier blaze on April 25, 2024, the City of Oceanside held a special recognition lunch today at the Pier Amphitheater. Due to collective coordinated actions, there were no injuries, and 93 percent of the beloved Pier was successfully saved from destruction.
At the event, attended by the Oceanside City Council, City Manager, Fire Chief, and other officials, city leaders honored the invaluable support of the numerous individuals and organizations whose actions proved instrumental in mitigating the fire’s impact.
Not in the field of firefighting, special recognition was extended to Manson Construction who was working on the Oceanside Harbor dredge nearby. They initially rushed to the scene and deployed their powerful water pump from the water.
SDGE was recognized for their air helitanker support, San Diego County’s ASTREA unit was gratefully on the scene, and a multitude of regional partners were lauded for their actions that day, including Carlsbad, Vista, and San Marcos Fire Departments, Calfire, California Office of Emergency Services, Camp Pendleton, San Diego Hazmat, US Coast Guard Sea Otter Cutter, and San Diego Harbor Police and Lifeguard boats.
With many Oceanside firefighters deployed to the Pier blaze, other regional agencies provided vital mutual aid by manning some Oceanside Fire Stations and running calls, a force-multiplying partnership facilitated by the North County Dispatch JPA. “Mutual aid agreements allow us to share resources and personnel, ultimately protecting our neighboring communities during major incidents,” noted Fire Chief David Parsons. “We give our sincerest thanks to every agency that answered the call.”
On May 10, 2024, the city reopened 80 percent of the Pier. It’s open daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The City’s Engineering Division is in the process of obtaining permits from various regulatory agencies to perform the demolition and repair of the damaged section. It’s expected that debris removal may begin in August. Regular progress updates will be provided on the City website and through newsletters.
Oceanside Pier History
The City of Oceanside has had six piers since incorporating in 1888.
- 1888: The first wooden pier was built in 1888 at the foot of Couts Street, now known as Wisconsin Street. It was largely destroyed by a storm in 1890, with some pilings still visible today at very low tide.
- 1896: The second “little iron wharf” pier was built in 1894 at the foot of Third Street with iron pilings at a length of 400 feet. In 1896 it was extended, but it was damaged severely in 1902 by heavy storms.
- 1903: The third pier in 1903 used steel railway rails and was nearly 1,300 feet long.This structure also was destroyed by stormy waves.
- 1926: The fourth Pier’s construction began in 1926, and included the construction of the white concrete bridge that leads out to the wooden structure, extending 1,900 feet into the ocean. When it was dedicated on July 4, 1927 Oceanside had a three-day celebration attracting over 20,000 people from all over California. This fourth pier was severely damaged by storms in 1942, but the white concrete portion, the Pier View Bridge, remains today. Plan are underway to reconstruct the 100-year old concrete bridge portion with the same look but with modern safety measures.
- 1947: The fifth Oceanside Pier was constructed in 1947, which was the longest on the west coast at the time.
- 1987: Oceanside’s sixth pier and current Pier was constructed in 1987 (photo below) at a cost of $5 million. It was 1,954 feet long the morning of April 2024. Plans are underway to gain permits to demolish and rebuild the damaged west end of the Pier.
