Bull fire barrels through Riverkern
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At 1:45 p.m., Monday, US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and Kern County Fire Department responded to a vegetation fire in the area of Burlando Road. The fire began in Bull Run Creek, about three miles north of Kernville.
By 4:00 p.m., the wind had changed and the fast-burning fire had jumped the Kern River and threatened homes and business in the small community of Riverkern, a few miles north of Kernville on Sierra Way, also known as Mountain Road 99.
With the bulk of water-dropping resources committed to structure protection on the west side of the river, near Burlando Road and Rio Del Loma, flames licked at the backyards of homes in the 16200 block of Mountain Road 99 (Sierra Way) on the east side of the river. Forest Service and Kern County Fire personnel and equipment were quickly dispatched to Riverkern.
Flying embers alighted on a few small patches of vegetation near the Riverkern General Store and Cheyenne's then took off up the mountainside behind the businesses. Kern County Sheriff's Deputies, with car sirens blaring, warned residents to evacuate immediately. Residents on Burma Road and Frontier Trail were asked to evacuate around 5:00 p.m. An evacuation center was set up at the Senior Center at 6409 Lake Isabella Blvd. in Lake Isabella.
Despite a constant barrage of pin-point water drops, flames barreled through the residential blocks of Cowbell and Bull Run Roads; at least six homes near the convergence of Cannel Creek Road were destroyed. Edward Crain wept at the realization that everything in his home at 19 Cannel Creek Road was lost, including hundreds of thousands of dollars of memorabilia and a vintage Volkswagen Bug.
Camp Erwin Owen, a juvenile detention facility just north of Kernville that houses wards between 14 and 18, began evacuating its staff of 14, along with the 125 wards. “This is the first time in the facility's 72-year history that there has been an evacuation,” said camp director Thad Kennedy. Juveniles were transported to juvenile hall and the Crossroads facility around 5:00 p.m., Kennedy said.
The main wing of the Sequoia Lodge remained undamaged, but an adjacent building that looked to house a couple of units was burned. The skeletal remains of a new $80,000 motor home smoldered in the front yard by evening's end.
As of Tuesday's 6:00 a.m. briefing, the Bull fire had consumed 5,042 acres and containment was gauged at five percent. “Today (Tuesday), we are expecting 14 helicopters and eight airtankers to assist the hand crews on the line,” said Kern County Fire Department spokesman Sean Collins.
“There are approximately 700 personnel on scene. A Type 1 Incident Management Team has been assigned to the Bull fire and will take over the management of the incident later today,” Collins said. “Firefighters are still working hard to provide structure protection throughout the area.”
Collins added that road closures are in effect on the 16-mile stretch of Mountain Road 99 from Kernville to Fairview. Burlando Rd is also closed except for resident access only. Cherry Hill Rd. and Horse Meadow campground will be closed, with access to residents only.
“California Management advises people with reservations, Tuesday through Thursday, will be relocated to a lake camping area and those with a Friday through Sunday reservation will either be relocated or canceled,” Collins said.
“All private and commercial rafting on the upper Kern River is canceled until further notice due to safety reasons with helicopters working out of the river. Forest service Officials will be meeting at Camp Owen and Mountain 99 at the road block, at 10:00 a.m. to escort campers back to campsites on the Kern River to retrieve their belongings.
