The so-called Erskine Fire in the foothills of Kern County, about 42 miles (68 kilometers) northeast of Bakersfield, has literally exploded, charring over 30,000 acres (12,141 hectares), making it one of the very worst wildfires of the already devastating fire season in drought-stricken California, reports Reuters.
The National Weather Service issued a “red flag warning” for the region, calling for extreme heat, low humidity and winds gusting up to 55 mph through Saturday morning. With the bone-dry conditions, firefighters are in an epic battle to contain the seemingly untamable blaze. As of this morning, the Erskine Fire is only 5.0 percent contained.
“Fire over the water” photographed last night by me of the ErskineFire in the Kern River Valley in California. zqRGDaXWYu
— Michael Cuffe (@MikeCuffe) June 24, 2016
Kern County Sheriff, Donny Youngblood told reporters that at least two people were confirmed dead, while three firefighters have suffered injuries related to smoke inhalation while battling the inferno. Governor Jerry Brown has declared a state of emergency for Kern County.
Several thousand people around Lake isabella were told to prepare to evacuate, and this is where the bodies of the elderly couple were found after the inferno swept through the area, reported CTV News Canada. The sheriff’s department will be making a sweep of the area with cadaver dogs, searching for others who may not have been able to escape the flames.
“The forces of nature collided with a spark,” Kern County Fire Chief, Brian Marshall, told a news conference on Friday. “The mountainous terrain, five years of drought and wind gusts of over 20 mph all drove a fire over 11 miles in 13 hours. Our firefighters have been engaged in a firefight of epic proportions, trying to save every structure possible,” he added.
Wildfire activity increases in the Black Hills Vi5KEy8EOf
— Wildfire Today (@wildfiretoday) June 25, 2016
Over 800 firefighters are fighting the Erskine Fire, and several hundred more personnel are on their way to assist in trying to gain containment of the massive blaze. Over 1,500 homes are still threatened. Further south, the 5,260 acre San Gabriel Complex Fire burning in the foothills and canyons near Los Angeles is 30 percent contained today.