Cathy Perfect - Kern Valley Sun

The US Forest Service reported Tuesday morning the Clover Fire, burning since May 31, in the South Sierra Wilderness, north of Kennedy Meadows and south of Beck Meadow, California has consumed 15,262 acres and is 60 percent contained. Containment lines are currently holding, despite Monday’s heavy winds gusting 40 mph over the fire area. During the night there was little active spread of the fire.

Some firefighters and support personnel are being reassigned from the Clover Fire to assist on the Piute Fire burning south of Lake Isabella in the Piute Mountains of the Sequoia National Forest.

A view of the Piute Fire taken on Monday, June 30 from the Piute area.

Currently committed resources consist of four helicopters, 12 handcrews, one engine and a total of 405 personnel.

Piute Fire Update: The Piute Fire started at 3:00 p.m., Saturday, June 28, and is currently burning in the rugged terrain near Piute Mountain Road, eight miles north of Twin Oaks. Kern County Fire Department officials reported that as of Tuesday morning, 1,231 structures were threatened and 7,040 acres have been burned.

Containment is at four percent, with an expected control date undetermined at this time. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Firefighters from Kern County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Cal Fire continue to battle the blaze, according to Sean Collins, Kern County Fire Department PIO. He said firefighters were hampered by a lack of resources, poor access, difficult terrain, and limited water supplies. Thus, a federal incident management team arrived at the fire Sunday afternoon, and took command at 6:00 a.m. on June, 30. There are now a total of approximately 450 personnel on scene, 102 of which are from Kern County Fire Department. Historic sites including the Buxton Mill site as well as the town site of Claraville remained threatened. Residences and outbuildings in French and Brown’s Meadows remain threatened as well. Evacuations were ordered for those areas, while evacuations are advised for the Claraville area. Collins said, 'No structures have been lost. Road closures remain in effect for Piute Mountain Rd. and Saddle Springs Rd., with the additional closure of Cold Springs Rd. One minor firefighter injury has been reported.'

For more information regarding the Piute Fire and evacuations, please see the Kern County Fire Department website at http://www.kerncountyfire.org/news.php.