Kern Fire Battling Blaze near Lake Isabella

Kern Fire Battling Blaze near Lake Isabella

UPDATE 8/31: 25,643 acres and 40% containment.UPDATE 8/30: The fire has grown to 25,264 acres and is 26% contained.

UPDATE 8/27: The French Fire has grown to 22,916 acres and is 19% contained. Evacuation warnings have been added for Glennville, Linns Valley, Poso Flat and Badger Canyon.

UPDATE 8/25: The fire has grown to 20,678 acres and is 19% contained. Mandatory evacuations have been issued for Wofford Heights, Calgary Drive, and Pala Ranches. A new evacuation warning has been issued for Kernville.

UPDATE 8/23: The French Fire is now up to 14,773 acres and 15% containment. Wofford Heights is now under an evacuation order meaning there is immediate threat to life and property.

UPDATE: Alta Sierra is now under mandatory evacuation.

UPDATE 8/20: 4,272 acres burned and 5% containment. Evacuation orders have been added for Keyesville south and evacuation warning for area of Black Gulch.UPDATE: The French Fire is now at 3,223 acres and still 0% containment as of 10:49 a.m.

The Kern County Fire Department are working on the French Fire burning a few miles east of Lake Isabella. The fire broke out around 5:00 p.m. Wednesday afternoon near Wagy Flat Road and Sawmill Road. The first report listed it at 50 acres. Within a few short hours the blaze had broken out to over 2,000 acres burned and 0% containment. In an update this morning around 8:00 a.m. the fire was reported to be 2,600 acres and still 0% contained. Public Information Officer for Kern Fire Erica Bain says the reason containment remains zero is due to the windy conditions experienced in the area and the rough terrain. She says crews risked being trapped by the fire if the winds caused it to spread quickly. Bain adds structures have been threatened and destroyed but an official count would not be available until the winds died down and a proper investigation could be conducted.

Evacuation orders are in place for the Sawmill Community. The Red Cross has set up an evacuation shelter at the Kern River Valley Senior Center in Lake Isabella.

Map of evacuation locations here