Powerful swells driven by recent storms amid a growing El Ni\u00f1o are warming ocean waters, causing sand erosion and drawing animals rarely seen to California\u2019s shore.<\/p>\n
But Ventura County officials were not expecting the unusual ocean conditions to also bring to a local beach a \u201cbomb-like\u201d marine marker. <\/p>\n
A Navy MK25 phosphorus location marker is used to create a visible smoke and flame signal to locate objects or people in the water. <\/p>\n
It\u2019s unclear where the marine marker came from or the exact location of its discovery last week. The sheriff\u2019s department did not respond immediately to a request for comment. <\/p>\n
The Ventura County Sheriff\u2019s bomb squad published an Instagram post<\/a> about the discovered marker. In the comment section of the post, the Orange County Bomb Squad said the recent storms could have caused the marker to surface, because \u201cwe\u2019ve had a couple wash up in recent weeks.\u201d <\/p>\n \u201cA concerned citizen noticed the marker at the waterline and out of fear for the safety of other beachgoers, decided to take the marker home and call law enforcement,\u201d the post stated. <\/p>\n The Sheriff\u2019s Bomb Squad and Navy explosive ordnance disposal unit from Point Mugu responded to the Ojai residence where the device was taken. <\/p>\n Officials said in the post that the resident\u2019s actions were well intentioned; however, \u201cmarine markers, even if wet and expended, are extremely dangerous. Residual phosphorus can dry out once removed from the water, then spontaneously reignite or explode when moved.\u201d<\/p>\n Marine markers can burn up to 3,000 degrees and are extremely toxic, officials added. <\/p>\n It was not the only unusual discovery attributed to the latest ocean conditions.<\/p>\n During the summer, the sheriff\u2019s bomb squad and the naval explosive ordnance disposal unit also responded to the beach to pick up a much more hazardous item, a Super Bazooka round. <\/p>\n In July officials responded to Mugu State Beach Tower 14, within Point Mugu State Park along Pacific Coast Highway, to assist state parks police and lifeguards with a \u201cpiece of 1950\u2019s era military ordnance that had washed up on the sand,\u201d according to an Instagram post<\/a>. <\/p>\n Sheriff officials said prior to becoming a public beach, that stretch of sand was used as a training facility for the United States military. <\/p>\n \u201cAs tides change and sand erodes over time, it is common for military ordnance to reveal itself at this location,\u201d the post stated. <\/p>\n Officials determined the item was a Super Bazooka round that still contained live explosives and was too dangerous to transport at the time. <\/p>\n \u201cThe beach and Pacific Coast Highway were momentarily shut down while the ordnance was disposed of in place,\u201d the post stated. <\/p>\n Ventura County\u2019s bomb squad warned if anyone comes across an item that looks like a bomb or other piece of military equipment, they should leave the item in place, evacuate the area and call 911.<\/p>\n In August, sand erosion<\/a> exposed a pair of jetties that were built decades ago to stop beach erosion and protect oceanfront homes near the entrance of Newport Harbor<\/a>.<\/p>\n Within the waters that surround Malibu Pier a hammerhead shark<\/a>, which typically prefers warmer waters than those found in Southern California, was spotted making a few circles in the ocean. <\/p>\n