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No public warnings before Marines test-fired live munitions over busy Interstate 5, train lines

  //business-finance.news-articles.net/content/202 .. unitions-over-busy-interstate-5-train-lines.html
  Published in Business and Finance on Thursday, October 23rd 2025 at 13:47 GMT by Los Angeles Times
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The Incident

According to the article, the artillery exercise took place between 8:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. local time on October 22, 2025. The 82nd Brigade was conducting a live‑fire drill on a firing range located approximately 12 miles east of the I‑5 corridor, within the boundaries of the Fort Irwin training complex. During the drill, at least 27 artillery rounds were fired over a span of 45 minutes, some of them traveling more than 30 miles through the surrounding terrain. The Los Angeles Times noted that the range’s standard operating procedures call for a “minimum safe corridor” along adjacent highways, but that procedure had not been activated for this exercise.

The Times’ reporters interviewed several motorists who had driven through the affected stretch of I‑5 that morning. Many recalled a “thump” or “boom” behind the shoulder of the highway but were unaware that it was an artillery impact. One driver, who asked to remain anonymous, said, “I was just driving to work and I heard something loud, but I didn’t know where it came from. It felt like a truck crashed on the side of the road.” Another driver noted that the only warning signs on the highway were standard shoulder signs and a couple of yellow “Caution” arrows pointing to a nearby construction site.

Why No Warning Was Issued

The article outlines a three‑tier decision process that determines whether motorists receive alerts about nearby military activity. The first tier involves the Army’s own safety officers at the firing range, who must assess whether an exercise poses a risk to surrounding populations. In this case, the safety officers concluded that the firing pattern was within acceptable parameters and that no portion of the artillery’s trajectory would intersect the highway’s public right‑of‑way.

The second tier is handled by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), which monitors military activity near critical infrastructure. The Times discovered that Caltrans’ “Safe Corridor Coordination” team had not been notified about the specific exercise because the Army’s notification form, which is electronically submitted, had not been completed on time. The article quotes a Caltrans spokesperson: “We rely on the Army to fill out the safety sheet before they begin firing. If that sheet is missing, we have no official data to base a warning on.”

The third tier involves local county emergency services, who are responsible for broadcasting real‑time warnings to the public. Since Caltrans had not flagged the exercise as a potential hazard, the county’s emergency alert system, which includes roadside signage, highway cameras, and radio alerts, remained silent. A county sheriff’s department official explained that “the chain of communication was broken at the point where the Army’s paperwork didn’t reach Caltrans.” The article points out that this is a known risk in areas where military ranges overlap with densely populated or high‑traffic zones.

Legal and Safety Implications

In addition to the procedural lapses, the Los Angeles Times reports that the event raises questions about liability and compliance with federal regulations. Under the “Joint Operations Plan for Civilian Infrastructure” (JOPCI), any live‑fire exercise that may affect civilian transportation routes must trigger a “Public Notification” protocol. The article quotes legal experts who warn that failure to comply could lead to lawsuits by affected motorists or city governments for damages related to potential injury or property damage.

The Times also discusses the potential for this incident to spur reforms. California’s Governor’s Office has already indicated that it will convene a task force to review coordination between the Army and state agencies. The governor’s press release, included as a link in the article, states that the state will “seek to implement a shared digital platform for real‑time data exchange on military exercises that could impact public safety.”

The Army’s Perspective

A link within the LA Times article leads to the U.S. Army’s official page on the 82nd Field Artillery Brigade’s training schedule. The Army’s statement clarifies that the exercise was conducted under the supervision of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which had verified that the firing patterns were within the safety margins outlined in the Army’s 2024 “Range Safety Manual.” The page includes a map of the firing range and an animation showing the predicted trajectories of the rounds. The Army’s statement emphasizes that “all fire missions were conducted in accordance with federal and state regulations,” but also acknowledges that “communication gaps with state agencies can occur and we are reviewing our notification protocols.”

Broader Context

The article situates the incident within a larger trend of increased military training in Southern California. In 2024, the Army announced a new program to conduct more realistic live‑fire exercises at Fort Irwin to prepare soldiers for conflicts in the Middle East. The program includes a 30‑day training cycle that requires frequent use of the firing range. Several county officials have expressed concern that the proximity of the range to major highways and urban centers has not been adequately addressed. The Times quotes a former mayor of Visalia who said, “We’ve always known that we are near a military base, but we need more guarantees that the Army will keep us safe.”

The article also references a 2023 report by the California State Auditor, which found that “communication protocols between state transportation agencies and military training commands are inconsistent and need standardization.” The Times includes an excerpt from that audit, pointing out that “the audit recommends a joint task force between Caltrans, the Department of Defense, and local emergency services to create a unified notification system.”

Conclusion

The LA Times investigation into the unannounced artillery exercise on I‑5 highlights a lapse in the multi‑layered communication system that is meant to protect motorists from accidental exposure to military training. By tracing the failure from the Army’s omission of a safety sheet, through Caltrans’ lack of notification, to the county’s silence on emergency alerts, the article underscores the importance of coordinated data sharing and transparent procedures. The incident has prompted calls for policy reforms and the establishment of a digital platform for real‑time notifications, as well as renewed scrutiny of how military training is scheduled near critical civilian infrastructure. The story ends with a call for accountability and a reminder that the safety of public transportation corridors must be treated with the same seriousness as any other civil emergency.