BREAKING NEWS: Tractor Sparks Fire Near Crossroads


Published on Thursday, July 16, 2009 9:20 PM PDT

Lot clearing was the culprit in Thursday's fire just west of the Shell Crossroads in Lake Isabella. A plume of smoke rose from the grassy, bone-dry field at about 12:00 p.m. Thursday, apparently triggered by a spark from a tractor.

“I guess I hit a piece of metal and it sparked the fire,” said Roscoe Greene, who was clearing the lot for Richard Rooney. Rooney reportedly had closed escrow on the property the previous day.

With the valley's hazardous fire conditions, a full response of firefighters was ordered. Personnel and equipment from Kern County Fire stations, Forest Service and BLM arrived to keep the fire at bay. At one point, the fire burned through a fence and spread in the direction of the nearby Verizon building.

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The Isabella fire was contained at 12:35 p.m. and burned about one acre of land. No injuries or other damage was reported.

The Kern County Fire Department would like to remind residents that even the smallest spark or carelessly discarded cigarette can start a wildfire.

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Brandon Muncy
Kern Valley Sun

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