UPDATE: Evacuations have been lifted for more than a dozen homes in Digier Canyon threatened by a 95-acre vegetation fire in Lebec.

A van fire on southbound I-5 sparked the Water Fire around 11:40 Wednesday morning, but Kern County Fire Engineer Andrew Freeborn said there was a lot of fuel for it like wind, dry grass, and steep terrain. A firefighter was injured and airlifted to a Bakersfield hospital, there’s no word on how he is or what happened. Tankers, hand crews, dozers and airplanes are being used to put it out, which was 20% contained at last report.

Kelli Pierce/Suzanne Grant