Fire Information: 760-515-7922 (8am to 8pm)
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7813/

Acreage: 26,745 Containment: 65% Total Personnel: 962
 
The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, and has now burned 26,745 acres with 65 percent containment.

A National Incident Management Organization (NIMO) Team is managing the fire, integrated with the Great Basin Incident Management Team 6 and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command. A transfer of command from the NIMO to Team 6 will occur on Wednesday, September 8.

● Residents are advised to be cautious. Fire engines, water trucks and utility vehicles will be on the roads. Blocking the roads will inhibit personnel from getting work done.
● The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around infrastructure within the fire’s interior.
● Crews will work on monitoring and improving the line that was burned out on Sunday, September 5. Crews with the support of aircraft will continue to improve handline north of Red Mountain from Bear Creek to Alder Creek.
● There is minimal fire activity on the north, east, and south sides of the fire. Crews will continue to mop up and patrol the area and remove equipment. Some sections of line near Black Mountain will be monitored from a distance because the area has steep, rocky cliffs and cannot be safely accessed.
● Very dry and warm conditions with low relative humidity will continue. There will be a slight chance of dry thunderstorms Thursday and Friday.

Public and Firefighter Safety
Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area. For information on returning home after the fire, visit Ready for Wildfire.
 
Road Closures:
Highway 155 remains closed from the Glennville side of the western boundary of the Sequoia National Forest to Rancheria Road at the Greenhorn Summit.

Fire Closures:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a temporary closure for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Closure Order of All USDA Region 5 National Forests in California:
On Monday, August 30, Regional Order 21-07 was issued, closing all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters.

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

### 

French Fire - UPDATE #20 – Evacuation ORDERS LIFTED. Details below.

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

UPDATE: As of 9:00 a.m. on Monday, September 6, 2021

This is an update to previous ReadyKern messages concerning the French Fire in the Kern River Valley. All remaining Evacuation Orders have been LIFTED.

The evacuation ORDERS for the following areas have been lifted. The community of Keysville. The entire community of Alta Sierra and Shirley Meadows. The community of Wagy Flats. The community of Black Gulch and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area). Residents are now permitted to return home.

The following closures remain in effect:All Sequoia National Forest Closures, which includes the Slick Rock area. The Bureau of Land Management temporary closure to the Keysville Special Recreation Area. Highway 155 remains closed from Glennville side of the western boundary of the Sequoia National Forest to Rancheria Rd at the Greenhorn Summit.

Fire Department staff, vehicles, and equipment remain in the area. Residents should exercise appropriate caution while driving.

Residents should remain alert, aware of their surroundings, and prepared to respond appropriately during emergencies. You are encouraged to take action immediately if you feel threatened, even if you have not received another ReadyKern message.

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 Information: 760-515-7922 (8am to 8pm)
Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7813/
 
French Fire Update – September 6, 2021
Acreage: 26,702 Containment: 52% Total Personnel: 1,201
 
The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, and has now burned 26,703 acres with 52 percent containment.

A National Incident Management Team (NIMO) is managing the fire, integrated with Great Basin IMT 6 and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command.

● Residents are advised to be cautious. Fire engines, water trucks and utility vehicles will be on the roads. Blocking the roads will inhibit personnel from getting work done.
● The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around infrastructure within the fire’s interior, including Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, the Shirley Peak communication hub, and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of Hwy 155. These crews are also cutting down unsafe (hazard) trees and preparing the areas for residents to return.
● Burnout operations were successful in Cedar Creek and Alder Creek yesterday. Smoke may still be visible today as crews work on securing the line and continue to mop up. Today, crews will continue to improve handline north of Red Mountain from Bear Creek to Alder Creek.
● On the north side of the fire, crews continue to mop up, seeking out and eliminating any remaining heat sources that could threaten the containment line.
● There is minimal fire activity on the east and south sides of the fire. Crews will continue to mop up and patrol the area. There are approximately 38 miles of fire hose that need to be removed.
● Very dry and warm conditions with low relative humidity will continue.

Public and Firefighter Safety
Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area. For information on returning home after the fire, visit Ready for Wildfire.
 
Road Closures:
Highway 155 remains closed from the Glennville side of the western boundary of the Sequoia National Forest to Rancheria Rd at the Greenhorn Summit.

Fire Closures:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a temporary closure for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Closure Order of All USDA Region 5 National Forests in California:
On Monday, August 30, Regional Order 21-07 was issued, closing all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters.

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

Evacuation Information:
All remaining Evacuation Orders have been LIFTED for the communities of Keysville, Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, Wagy Flat, Black Gulch and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area). Residents are now permitted to return home.

Fire Information: 760-515-7922 (8am to 8pm) 

Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7813/ 

The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, and has now burned 26,493 acres with 52 percent containment.  

A National Incident Management Team (NIMO) is managing the fire, integrated with Great Basin IMT 6 and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command. 

• Smoke may be visible today as crews work to complete burnout operations in the Cedar Creek and Alder Creek area using a combination of ground and aerial resources.  Crews are constructing direct handline north of Red Mountain from Bear Creek to Alder Creek.  
• On the north side of the fire, crews continue to mop up, seeking out and eliminating any remaining heat sources that could threaten the line.  
• The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around infrastructure within the fire’s interior, including Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, the Shirley Peak communication hub, and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of Hwy 155. These crews are also cutting down unsafe (hazard) trees and preparing the areas for residents to return. 
• Crews are successfully mopping up to the north from Basket Pass to Evans Meadow which allowed for an increase in containment in this area.  
• The east side of the fire is looking very good. Crews will continue to mop up and patrol. 
• Very dry conditions predicted into next week. Light terrain driven winds are expected each day, with westerly winds around 20 mph. Relative humidity will be in the teens during the day and recovery at night will be poor.  

Public and Firefighter Safety 
Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area. For information on returning home after the fire, visit Ready for Wildfire. 

Road Closures:  
Hwy 155 to western Sequoia National Forest boundary. Sawmill Road at the top of Sawmill Pass. Old State Road at Dollar Road in Wofford Heights. 24S15 at Kern/Tulare County Line. Roads west of Pala Ranches and all roads under the evacuation Order remain closed to the public. 

Fire Closures: 
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a temporary closure for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Closure Order of All USDA Region 5 National Forests in California: 

On Monday August 30, Regional Order 21-07 was issued, closing all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters.   

 
 Fire Restrictions: 

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

Evacuation Information 

For more information and to sign up for emergency notifications, visit ReadyKern. You can search your address in the French Fire Interactive Evacuation Map posted at https://bit.ly/38jmW6S.  Este es un mensaje de la seguridad. Para espanol, llame a 2-1-1. Gracias. 

An evacuation order is a lawful order to leave now and seek shelter away from the fire area. 

Evacuation Orders remain in effect for the following communities: 

Keyesville, Shirley Meadows, Alta Sierra, Slick Rock, Wagy Flat, Black Gulch, and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area).  

Evacuation Center: 

• Woodrow Wallace Elementary School, 3240 Erskine Creek Road, Lake Isabella.

Fire Information: 760-515-7922 (8am to 8pm) Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7813/

The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, has now burned 25,895 acres with 43 percent containment.

A National Incident Management Team (NIMO) is managing the fire, integrated with Great Basin

IMT 6, and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command. 

● Smoke will be more visible today as burnout operations continue from Cedar Creek to Basket Pass Road to improve the effectiveness of the fireline.  Crews continue to evaluate options to go direct on the fire’s edge if safe to do so.
● On the north side of the fire, crews continue to mop up along the fires edge and improve line. Crews are seeking out and eliminating any remaining heat sources that could threaten the line. The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around infrastructure within the fire’s interior, including Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, the Shirley Peak communication hub, and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of Hwy 155. These crews are also cutting down unsafe (hazard) trees.
● On the south side of the fire, crews are mopping up and securing the containment line along Basket Pass Road from north of Basket Pass to Evans Meadow. Crews are working on improving contingency lines in the area.
● The east side of the fire is looking very good. Crews will continue to mop up and patrol and look for any heat that could threaten the line.
● Today will be slightly warmer with relative humidity in the teens and recovery at night will be poor. The winds will be light, 5-10 mph with gusts to 20 mph, and terrain driven. These conditions will continue through Monday.
● We have been asked by the communities how they can help the firefighters. The firefighters are well taken care of. If you would like to help, consider making donations to the Red Cross or your local food bank. We would like to thank everyone for their generosity. 

Public and Firefighter Safety
Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area. For information on returning home after the fire, visit Ready for Wildfire.

Road Closures:
Hwy 155 to western Sequoia National Forest boundary. Sawmill Road at the top of Sawmill Pass. Old State Road at Dollar Road in Wofford Heights. 24S15 at Kern/Tulare County Line. Roads west of Pala Ranches and all roads under the evacuation Order remain closed to the public.

Fire Closures:
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a temporary closure for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Closure Order of All USDA Region 5 National Forests in California:
On Monday August 30, Regional Order 21-07 was issued, closing all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters. 

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

Evacuation Information
For more information and to sign up for emergency notifications, visit ReadyKern. You can search your address in the French Fire Interactive Evacuation Map posted at https://bit.ly/38jmW6S.

Evacuation Orders remain in effect for the following communities: Keysville, Shirley Meadows, Alta Sierra, Slick Rock, Wagy Flats, Black Gulch, and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area). 

Fire Information: 760-515-7922 (8am to 8pm), Inciweb: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7813/

The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, has now burned 25,871 acres with 47 percent containment.

Friday, September 3, Great Basin Incident Management Team (IMT) 6 transitioned with California Interagency IMT 12. A National Incident Management Team (NIMO) is managing the fire, integrated with Great Basin IMT 6, and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command.
 
● On the west side of the fire, crews are evaluating options to go direct on the fire’s edge if safe to do so. The crews are prepping for a defensive low intensity burning operation to remove surface fuels (litter and brush) and improve the effectiveness of the fireline.

French Fire Update – September 1, 2021
Acreage: 25,782 Containment: 43% Total Personnel: 1,487

A public meeting will be held today, Wednesday, Sept. 1, at 6 p.m. at the McNally Arena, 487 Scodie Ave., Kernville, CA. The meeting will also be streamed live on the Sequoia National Forest Facebook page and shared to BLM California and Kern County Fire Department Facebook pages. 
 
The French Fire started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, has now burned 25,782 acres with 43 percent containment. A National Incident Management Team (NIMO) is managing the fire, integrated with California Interagency Incident Management Team 12, and coordinating closely with the Bureau of Land Management, Sequoia National Forest, and Kern County Fire Department in Unified Command.
● On the west side the fire crews are conducting a defensive low intensity burning operation to reinforce the direct and indirect fireline.
● On the north side of the fire minimal fire growth was observed. Firefighters are working on constructing and strengthening the lines west of Black Mountain. Helicopters will insert crews into remote areas today. The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around developments within the fire interior, including Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, the Shirley Peak communication hub, and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of State Route 155. These crews are also cutting unsafe (hazard) trees.
● On the south side of the fire, crews successfully held the fire within the containment line at Basket Pass Road from north of Basket Pass to Evans Meadow. Significant progress has been made mopping up and securing these lines. Heavy equipment and crews are working on contingency lines in the area.
● The east side of the fire saw the strongest winds yesterday, but remained quiet throughout the day, and crews made good progress mopping up. Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area.
● Today is another day of near-critical fire weather conditions. It will be dry and windy with low relative humidity, around 10-15 percent. The winds will be 15-20 with gusts 30-35 mph from the west to the northwest. Winds will be the strongest on the east side.
 
Road Closures: Hwy 155 to western Sequoia National Forest boundary. Sawmill Road at the top of Sawmill Pass. Old State Road in Wofford Heights. 24S15 at Kern/Tulare County Line.
 
Fire Closures: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has a temporary closure for the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.
 
Closure Order of All USDA Region 5 National Forests in California: On Monday August 30, Regional Order 21-07 was issued, which closes all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters.

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.
 
Evacuation Information:
There were no evacuation changes on Tuesday August 31. Details of current evacuations are below. 
Este es un mensaje de la seguridad. Para espanol, llame a 2-1-1. Gracias.
 
An Evacuation Order is a lawful order to leave now and seek shelter away from fire area. The area is lawfully closed to public access. An Evacuation Order will likely be the last order given. 

Evacuation ORDERS remain in effect for the following communities:
Keysville, Shirley Meadows, Alta Sierra, Slick Rock, Wagy Flats, Black Gulch, and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area). 
 
An Evacuation WARNING means that there 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 WARNINGS remain in effect for the following communities:
Wofford Heights, Pala Ranches, Isabella Highlands, Hungry Gulch, and Dutch Flats.
 
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 Center:
● 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. 

French Fire Update – August 31, 2021
Acreage: 25,643 Containment: 40% Total Personnel: 1,462

On Tuesday, August 31, at 6 a.m., the National Incident Management Team (NIMO) assumed command of the fire. The NIMO team will be integrated with the California Interagency Incident Management Team 12 for the remainder of their assignment.
 
The French Fire, started on Wednesday, August 18, west of Lake Isabella in Kern County, has now burned 25,643 acres with 40 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.
 
● On Monday, August 30, most of the fire growth occurred on the northwest side, where there was increased activity from previous days. This activity is not a threat to the control of the fire. On Tuesday, crews will continue to construct direct line where possible and continue work on multiple indirect and contingency lines.
● The north side of the fire saw little or no growth yesterday and where most of the additional containment has been achieved. Firefighters are working on locating and lining any remaining spot fires with support from aircraft and strengthening the handline east of Black Mountain. The Structure Group is patrolling and mopping up around developments within the fire interior, including Alta Sierra, Shirley Meadows, the Shirley Peak communication hub, and the Southern California Edison 66kV sub-transmission lines north of State Route 155. These crews are also cutting unsafe (hazard) trees.
● On the south side of the fire, crews successfully held the fire within the containment line at Basket Pass Road from north of Basket Pass to Evans Meadow. A small spot fire occurred near Evans Meadow but was quickly addressed by firefighters. Heavy equipment and crews are working on contingency lines in the area.
● The east side of the fire remained quiet throughout the day and crews made good progress mopping up. This has allowed residents to return to Pala Ranches. Residents will see smoke in the fire’s interior. Please be cautious of surrounding activities and potential hazards in and around the fire area; fire resources will be active in the area.
● Tuesday will be dry and windy with near critical fire weather conditions. Westerly winds will be 15-20 with gusts 30-35 mph.  These elevated fire conditions will be present through at least Wednesday. 

Road Closures:
Hwy 155 to western Sequoia NF boundary.
Sawmill Road at the top of Sawmill Pass.
Old State Road in Wofford Heights.
24S15 at Kern/Tulare County Line.
 
Fire Closures: The BLM has temporarily closed the Keysville Special Recreation Management Area to all public access due to wildland fire danger.

Sequoia National Forest Fire Area Closure Orders: Regional Order 21-07 was issued on Monday August 30 which closes all National Forest lands in California to protect visitors, mountain communities, staff, and firefighters.  The order can be viewed here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd949149.pdf.
 
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.
 
Evacuation Information:
On Monday, August 30, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. Ready Kern put out UPDATE #18 changing some evacuation levels from Orders to Warnings and some evacuation Warnings being lifted. Details below. 
Este es un mensaje de la seguridad. Para espanol, llame a 2-1-1. Gracias.
 
The Evacuation WARNINGS that affected the communities of Glennville, Linns Valley, Pine Mountain, Badger Canyon, and Poso Flat have been LIFTED. 
 
The Evacuation ORDER that affected the community of Pala Ranches has been reduced to Evacuation WARNING. The community of Pala Ranches may return to their properties; however, the evacuation warning remains in effect for the area. Residents need to be aware that the area may be placed back under evacuation order at any time pending the activity of the French fire.
 
An Evacuation Order is a lawful order to leave now and seek shelter away from fire area. The area is lawfully closed to public access. An Evacuation Order will likely be the last order given. 
 
Evacuation ORDERS remain in effect for the following communities: Keysville, Shirley Meadows, Alta Sierra, Slick Rock, Wagy Flats, Black Gulch, and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area). 
 
An Evacuation WARNING means that there 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 WARNINGS remain in effect for the following communities: Wofford Heights, Pala Ranches, Isabella Highlands, Hungry Gulch, and Dutch Flats.
 
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 Center:
● 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. 

French Fire - UPDATE #18 - SOME Evacuation ORDERS Reduced to Evacuation WARNINGS and SOME WARNINGS LIFTED. Details below.
Este es un mensaje de la seguridad. Para espanol, llame a 2-1-1. Gracias.
 UPDATE: As of 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 30, 2021This is an update to previous ReadyKern messages concerning the French Fire in the Kern River Valley. SOME Evacuation ORDERS have been reduced to Evacuation WARNINGS and SOME Evacuation WARNINGS have been LIFTED. The following information is complete at the time of this message.
 The Evacuation WARNINGS that affected the communities of Glennville, Linns Valley, Pine Mountain, Badger Canyon and Poso Flat have been LIFTED. 
 The Evacuation ORDER that affected the community of Pala Ranches has been reduced to Evacuation WARNING. The community of Pala Ranches may return to their properties; however, the evacuation warning remains in effect for the area. Residents need to be aware that the area may be placed back under evacuation order at any time pending the activity of the French fire.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.
 Fire Department staff, vehicles, and equipment remain in the area. Residents should exercise appropriate caution around them.Residents should remain alert, aware of their surroundings, and prepared to respond appropriately during emergencies. You are encouraged to take action immediately if you feel threatened, even if you have not received another ReadyKern message. 
 Evacuation ORDERS remain in effect for the following communities:Keysville, Shirley Meadows, Alta Sierra, Slick Rock, Wagy Flats, Black Gulch and the area around Fulton Peak south of Windmill Tree Peak (the ranch land area)  
 Evacuation WARNINGS remain in effect for the following communities:Wofford Heights, Pala Ranches, Isabella Highlands, Hungry Gulch, and Dutch Flats,  You can search your address in the French Fire Interactive Evacuation Map posted at kerncountyfire.org.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