Within Flares
When training flares go viral
San Diego's repeated offshore flare sightings show how short videos can become UFO stories before official answers catch up.
On this page
- The 2018 offshore flare reports
- The 2022 orange light videos
- Why official timing shapes belief
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Introduction
San Diego has produced several widely shared “UFO” episodes that were later linked to military flares. These incidents are useful examples of how unidentified flying object (IFO) reports develop in real time. Bright lights appear offshore at night, witnesses record short clips with little depth information, social media fills the gap with speculation, and official explanations often arrive hours or days later. By that point, many viewers have already formed their own conclusions.
The San Diego cases are particularly instructive because they occurred in a region surrounded by major military facilities, naval operations and training areas. Yet even there, uncertainty about who was conducting an exercise, and when officials would confirm it, helped ordinary flare sightings evolve into viral UFO stories. [ABC News]abcnews.comABC NewsStrange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to…June 28, 2022 — 28 Jun 2022 — Strange lights off San Diego coast have…
The 2018 offshore flare reports
One of the clearest examples occurred in August 2018, when residents across San Diego County reported unusual lights over the Pacific. Witnesses described bright stationary lights visible from multiple locations, and photographs quickly circulated online. To many observers, the lights appeared too bright and too still to be conventional aircraft. [Times of San Diego]timesofsandiego.commysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exerciseTimes of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from…30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur…
The explanation emerged relatively quickly. A Navy spokeswoman confirmed that pilots were conducting a military training exercise roughly 30 miles offshore and that the lights were training flares. Reports noted that the lights could be visible over a wide area because of their intensity and the clear coastal viewing conditions. [Times of San Diego]timesofsandiego.commysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exerciseTimes of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from…30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur…
What made the event noteworthy was not merely that flares were involved, but how closely the witness descriptions matched common UFO narratives:
- The lights appeared to hover.
- They remained visible for an extended period.
- They seemed disconnected from any visible aircraft.
- Their position over dark ocean water made distance difficult to judge.
Those characteristics are exactly the conditions under which illumination flares are frequently mistaken for unusual aerial objects. Offshore observers have few visual reference points, making slow descent difficult to perceive. [Times of San Diego]timesofsandiego.commysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exerciseTimes of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from…30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur…
The 2022 orange-light videos
A larger wave of attention arrived in June 2022 when orange and reddish lights appeared off the San Diego coast. Videos posted to Twitter and other platforms showed several bright lights apparently hanging over the ocean in a loose formation. Some clips accumulated hundreds of thousands of views within days. [ABC News]abcnews.comABC NewsStrange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to…June 28, 2022 — 28 Jun 2022 — Strange lights off San Diego coast have…
The footage had many features that encourage UFO interpretations. The lights appeared unusually bright, showed little obvious movement, and in some recordings formed patterns that viewers described as triangular or pyramid-like. Without visible landmarks or a clear horizon, it was difficult for viewers to estimate distance, altitude or speed. [The Independent]independent.co.uklights san diego coast b2112263The IndependentStrange lights spotted off San Diego coast29 Jun 2022 — Hundreds took to Twitter on Monday with pictures and video of a pa…
Social media quickly generated competing explanations:
- UFOs or unidentified aerial phenomena.
- Drone formations.
- Secret military technology.
- Civilian light shows.
- Military exercises.
As speculation spread, local authorities and military organisations offered incomplete or inconsistent information. Some agencies suggested military flares, while nearby military installations initially reported that they did not know the source of the lights. This uncertainty became part of the story itself. [Facebook]facebook.comFacebookAccording to SDPD, lifeguards say they were military flares…28 Jun 2022 — According to SDPD, lifeguards say they were military… [Facebook]facebook.comdid you see the lights over san diego on monday nightthere has been no officialThere has been no official confirmation on what these were, but they are likely military…Read more…
Eventually, local authorities stated that the lights were associated with military exercises and were believed to be flares. Reporting from local broadcasters also cited Coast Guard information indicating that the Navy was likely conducting flare training offshore. [ABC News]abcnews.comABC NewsStrange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to…June 28, 2022 — 28 Jun 2022 — Strange lights off San Diego coast have… [2ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV]10news.comwhat were those mysterious lights seen across san diegoA Coast Guard spokesperson said…Read more…
The final explanation was far less dramatic than many of the online theories, but by then the videos had already been viewed and shared as a possible UFO event.
Why official timing shapes belief
The San Diego flare episodes reveal an important pattern in UFO reporting: the speed of speculation often exceeds the speed of verification.
In both the 2018 and 2022 incidents, witnesses observed genuine lights. The key question was not whether something unusual-looking was present, but what it actually was. When official confirmation arrived quickly, as in the 2018 case, speculation remained relatively limited. When information was fragmented or delayed, as in 2022, alternative explanations flourished. [Times of San Diego]timesofsandiego.commysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exerciseTimes of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from…30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur… [2CBS 8]cbs8.comThe flare lights were from…Read more…
Several factors amplify this effect:
Short video clips remove context. A thirty-second recording rarely shows how lights appeared, moved or faded over a longer period.
Offshore locations hide scale. A flare tens of miles away can appear close and stationary.
Conflicting statements increase suspicion. When one authority suggests an explanation while another says it has no information, many observers interpret the disagreement as evidence of secrecy rather than ordinary communication delays. [Facebook]facebook.comWEIRD LIGHTS? Who else saw a strange light formation in…… flares -blamed-for-ufo-sighting-over-san-diego. UFO of Interest. 6y… Of…
Online discussion rewards mystery. A post asking “What is this?” spreads faster than a later correction identifying a routine exercise.
These factors do not require anyone to be irrational. They arise naturally from the way information travels during unexpected events.
What the San Diego cases show about UFO reports
The San Diego flare sightings illustrate why military training lights remain a significant source of UFO reports. The lights were real, visible to large numbers of people and impressive enough to generate widespread attention. Witnesses were not inventing what they saw.
The confusion emerged because observers lacked critical context: distance, training schedules, and immediate confirmation from the organisations conducting activity offshore. Once those details became available, the incidents fit a familiar pattern of illumination flares used during military exercises. ABC 10 News San Diego KGTV [Times of San Diego]timesofsandiego.commysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exerciseTimes of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from…30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur… [3CBS 8]cbs8.comThe flare lights were from…Read more…
For students of UFO reports, the lesson is less about debunking than about timing. The most influential period in many sightings is the gap between observation and explanation. San Diego’s recurring flare stories demonstrate how that gap can transform routine training activity into a viral UFO mystery long before the official answer catches up. [ABC News]abcnews.comABC NewsStrange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to…June 28, 2022 — 28 Jun 2022 — Strange lights off San Diego coast have…
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Endnotes
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/ABC10tv/posts/according-to-sdpd-lifeguards-say-they-were-military-flares-but-camp-pendleton-an/10159186045050000/Source snippet
FacebookAccording to SDPD, lifeguards say they were military flares...28 Jun 2022 — According to SDPD, lifeguards say they were military...
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Source: facebook.com
Title: did you see the lights over san diego on monday nightthere has been no official
Link: https://www.facebook.com/KUSINews/posts/did-you-see-the-lights-over-san-diego-on-monday-nightthere-has-been-no-official-/10159736737921068/Source snippet
There has been no official confirmation on what these were, but they are likely military...Read more...
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Source: 10news.com
Title: what were those mysterious lights seen across san diego
Link: https://www.10news.com/news/local-news/what-were-those-mysterious-lights-seen-across-san-diegoSource snippet
A Coast Guard spokesperson said...Read more...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/HunterSowards13/posts/weird-lights-who-else-saw-a-strange-light-formation-in-san-diego-county-this-eve/463735838894682/Source snippet
WEIRD LIGHTS? Who else saw a strange light formation in...... flares -blamed-for-ufo-sighting-over-san-diego. UFO of Interest. 6y... Of...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/NBCSanDiego/posts/-people-across-san-diego-spotted-strange-lights-in-the-sky-sunday-night-did-you-/733888332118710/Source snippet
Did you happen to see them? Turns out, it was all part of the party at Snapdragon...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/libertyriskinternational/posts/theres-lots-of-weird-stories-about-strange-things-happening-around-point-loma-sa/882548654482238/Source snippet
There's lots of weird stories about strange things...ALIENS? UFOs? Have you seen one? Dozens of residents in the #SanDiego area took to...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/KSEE24/posts/mysterious-lights-off-the-san-diego-coast-prompted-locals-to-question-what-they-/10159553582399927/Source snippet
an. Videos of the lights were also posted to social media.Read more...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Mysterious Lights Over San Diego Explained
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hK2063Zz5kSource snippet
Strange Lights Off San Diego Coast...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Strange Lights Off San Diego Coast
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5-8dC-r8wQ4Source snippet
Navy Confirms Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares...
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Source: abcnews.com
Link: https://abcnews.com/US/strange-lights-off-san-diego-coast-locals-taking/story?id=85849918Source snippet
ABC NewsStrange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to...June 28, 2022 — 28 Jun 2022 — Strange lights off San Diego coast have...
Published: June 28, 2022
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Source: timesofsandiego.com
Title: mysterious lights seen over san diego were flares from navy exercise
Link: https://timesofsandiego.com/military/2018/08/30/mysterious-lights-seen-over-san-diego-were-flares-from-navy-exercise/Source snippet
Times of San DiegoMysterious Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares from...30 Aug 2018 — Mysterious lights in the sky over San Diego tur...
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Source: cbs8.com
Link: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/mystery-solved-military-flare-training-lights-up-the-san-diego-night-sky/509-b8fa3172-b52a-4951-8e66-354890462063Source snippet
The flare lights were from...Read more...
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Source: independent.co.uk
Title: lights san diego coast b2112263
Link: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/lights-san-diego-coast-b2112263.htmlSource snippet
The IndependentStrange lights spotted off San Diego coast29 Jun 2022 — Hundreds took to Twitter on Monday with pictures and video of a pa...
Additional References
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Source: southernillinoisnow.com
Title: strange lights off san diego coast have locals taking to social media
Link: https://southernillinoisnow.com/2022/06/28/strange-lights-off-san-diego-coast-have-locals-taking-to-social-media/Source snippet
Strange lights off San Diego coast have locals taking to social...28 Jun 2022 — The posts offered several possible sources for the unusu...
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Source: upi.com
Title: Mysterious lights spotted over San Diego believed to be
Link: https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2022/06/28/mysterious-lights-over-San-Diego-military-flares/2401656449573/Source snippet
UPI28 Jun 2022 — The orange lights were spotted over San Diego and the surrounding area, including as far away as Tijuana, Mexico, on Mon...
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Source: santafehillssanmarcos.com
Link: https://www.santafehillssanmarcos.com/orange-flares-floating-in-sky/Source snippet
Orange Flare UFOs Were Not Aliens!After a call to to Camp Pendleton, we learned that the lights last night were C130 Illumination Flares...
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Source: nbcsandiego.com
Title: mysterious lights oceanside camp pendleton 911 calls san diego
Link: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/mysterious-lights-oceanside-camp-pendleton-911-calls-san-diego/55855/Source snippet
The Marines sent out a warning last week telling neighbors to...Read more...
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Source: nbcsandiego.com
Title: mysterious lights in san diego sky were military flares
Link: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/mysterious-lights-in-san-diego-sky-were-military-flares/2982084/Source snippet
The highly anticipated intelligence report released by the Department of Defense on...
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Source: instagram.com
Title: Cf V2p1dl QPQ
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/CfV2p1dlQPQ/Source snippet
flares in use for a military exercise. After further investigation Camp Pendleton & NAS North Island admitted they are not flares, & they...
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Source: youtube.com
Title: Navy Confirms Lights Seen Over San Diego Were Flares
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yf-02oO8aB4Source snippet
UFO or Military Flare? Investigating the San Diego Sightings...
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Source: nbcsandiego.com
Title: UA Ps?
Link: https://www.nbcsandiego.com/video/videos/uaps-ufos-mysterious-lights-in-san-diego-sky-were-military-flares-sdpd/2982109/Source snippet
UFOs? Mysterious Lights in San Diego Sky Identified...Mysterious Lights in San Diego Sky Identified by SDPD. Callers told NBC 7 that the...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/sandiego/comments/vmeboa/terrible_pic_but_anybody_else_seeing_this_over/ -
Source: youtube.com
Title: UFO or Military Flare? Investigating the San Diego Sightings
Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h_7eB3R0o-YSource snippet
Why Military Flares Look Like UFOs...
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