8/28 Virtual Meeting Highlights

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Fire Summary

  • Evacuation orders for Wofford Heights and Isabella Highlands reduced to warnings
  • Twelve homes confirmed as having been destroyed, and one damaged
  • The French Fire has been determined to be human caused and of a suspicious nature
  • Recreational sites between Kernville and Johnsondale are closed
  • FEMA has authorized the use of federal funds to assist in combating the French Fire
  • 24,200 acres
  • 22% contained
  • 1,614 personnel
  • Estimated date of containment is 9/7
  • Evacuation centers at Woodrow Wallace Elementary and Kern Valley High School

Virtual Meeting Highlights

Due to technical issues the 8/27 Virtual Meeting was cut short and continuted today, 8/28.

Part of the process used by damage inspector specialists is comparing satelite images of the location vs. what is left after the fire.

There have been 33 structures lost to-date. 12 homes destroyed and 1 damaged. Property owners will be notified by the county after inspections are completed. There have also been 21 minor buildings (non-residential) and one damaged. Examples of non-residential structures include: detached garages, sheds, and pump houses. This is an ongoing process and being updated daily, though information may be slower when being released to the public.

SCE Outages

The 8/28 SCE outage was not directly related to the French Fire but had a larger impact because of it. The damaged transmission line coming from Alta Sierra made the outage imact more customers than it otherwise would have.

Two SCE customers in Wofford Heights are still without power. These customers should have power restored on 8/29.

Alta Sierra transmission line and distribution system suffered substantial damage, and it may take several weeks before power is restored. SCE will have to do vegetation removal in addition to repairs, but will have to wait until it is safe to do so.