8/27 AM French Fire Update

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There will be a virtual public meeting this afternoon, Friday, August 27, at 6 p.m., streamed on the Sequoia National Forest and shared on Kern County Fire Department and the Bureau of Land Managements’ (California) Facebook sites. For those who cannot join during the live stream, the meeting will remain available through the agencies’ Facebook sites.

The French Fire, started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, has now burned 22,916 acres with 19 percent containment. The fire is being managed by California Interagency Incident Management Team 12, coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command.

  • The fire remains active on the north side threatening communities and associated values at risk in the immediate area: including the Shirley Peak communication hub and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of State Route 155. Structure defense is in place.
  • Fire in the southwestern area is currently at Rancheria/Sawmill Road junction, but could reach the Whites Mill Road by later tonight.
  • Relative humidity predicted to be 13-19 percent after 9 p.m. West winds predicted to be 9-15 mph gusting to 25 mph through 8 p.m. This could extend the burn period deeper into the night/early morning. Predicted single digit relative humidity will contribute to a longer burning period. Humidity may remain below 20 percent in this area throughout. Temperatures will be at or above 100 degrees in the lower elevations. The damage inspection team was out doing assessments of properties and structures within Alta Sierra, and Pala Ranches communities. This process can take some time, as active fire and other hazards present a danger to the team working on the assessment. Once the information is collected, the appropriate authorities will validate it, and notifications will be made to property owners.

French Fire - UPDATE #13/14 - As of 8 p.m. on Thursday, August 26, 2021. Details below.

Este es un mensaje de la seguridad. Para espanol, llame a 2-1-1. Gracias

Due to the recent days of fire activity and to support future fire suppression efforts, as well as for the safety of the community and firefighters, the following ORDERS and WARNINGS are in effect. An Evacuation Order means that the French Fire is an immediate threat to life. An Evacuation Order is a lawful order to leave now and seek shelter away from the fire area. The area is lawfully closed to public access. An Evacuation Order will likely be the last order given.

EVACUATION ORDERS:

  • Private ranchlands east and south of Glennville.
  • Areas east of Glennville and west of the Forest boundary.
  • General area east of Fulton Peak.
  • General area east of Windmill Tree Peak.
  • Wofford Heights.
  • Keysville.

All other previous EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect.Hwy 155 (also known as: Burlando Road, Wofford Blvd.) is closed from Green Glen Drive east and south to Hwy 178.An Evacuation Warning means that the French Fire is a potential threat to life and/or property, and all residents are advised to be prepared to leave the area at a moment’s notice if it becomes necessary. Those who require additional time to evacuate, and those with pets and livestock, should leave now.

EVACUATION WARNING:

  • Areas west of the Forest boundary, including the communities of Glennville, Linns Valley, Poso Flat, Pine Mountain, Badger Canyon, to north of the Kern River Canyon.
  • All of Kernville on both sides of the Kern River continue to remain in an EVACUATION WARNING. Last evening’s ReadyKern message identified only the areas of Kernville west of the Kern River.
  • The community of Riverkern near the Kern-Tulare County border.

The previous EVACUATION ORDERS and EVACUATION WARNINGS remain in effect. There will be no escorts provided by Law Enforcement, Fire Personnel, or Forest Personnel. You can search your address in the French Fire Interactive Evacuation Map posted at https://bit.ly/38jmW6S.Evacuation Centers:

An evacuation center on the west side of the incident zone has been added. The additional evacuation center is located at Pioneer Elementary School, 1001 Hiett Avenue, Delano. Animal Services will assist with sheltering companion animals at the center. The evacuation center is located at Woodrow Wallace Elementary School, 3240 Erskine Creek Road, Lake Isabella. Animal Services will assist with sheltering companion animals at the center.

If you have physical limitations and require evacuation assistance, please call the Aging & Adult Services hotline at 1-855-264-6565. If you have an emergency, call 911. If you have any questions about the content of this message, please contact Kern County Information and Referral Services at 2-1-1. Thank you.

Fire Closures:The BLM has temporarily closed the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Forest Fire Area Closure: Forest Order 0513 21 25 French Fire area Roads and Trails Closure and MapTo protect visitors, mountain communities, staff and firefighters, Forest Order 0513-21-25 was issued, Saturday, August 21, 2021. Please view the full order with exhibits and map for more information.Fire Restrictions:

Public lands managed by the Sequoia National Forest and the BLM Bakersfield Field Office are under Fire Restrictions at this time. The use of propane stoves with an on/off switch is permitted, but campfires are not allowed.