The Bakersfield Fire Department has issued a precautionary alert about the Kern River.The alert is within city limits because of this week’s heat wave. Fire Chief Doug Greener is making a plea to stay out of the Kern River this year, even in areas where people had played in the river in past years. He says the river is moving at 5,000 cubic feet per second, the same as in the canyon. However, it’s deceptively docile-looking in town. City Fire crews have conducted 17 rescues in the past month, the most ever for the department and the Chief fears the hot weather will prompt more people to swim in the city portion of the river.

Sean Michael Lisle