Bull Run fire on Upper Kern

[Guido]

A fire started in Bull run creek just north of Kernville yesterday then jumped the river to Riverkern and beyond. Right now the road is closed to the upper. It seems like the worst of it is over, but not sure how this will affect boating into the weekend. If I were a betting man, I would guess the road will open soon, but not sure on air/water quality...

[kaihacker]

They are evacuating the campgrounds on the upper kern right now...all the way to Limestone.

[kaihacker]

Rafting has been temporarily banned between Kernville and Johnsondale Bridge in Tulare County, and the 15-mile stretch of Mountain Highway 99 between Kernville and Fairview is also closed.

Recreational use of the river is considered unsafe because more than a dozen helicopters are using the river as a water source to fight the fire, Kern County Fire Department spokesman Sean Collins said.

"There should not be anybody getting into that area," Collins said.

Commercial rafting groups were alerted of the suspension by Tuesday morning, Collins said. No timetable has been set for allowing rafters back into the river because the fire is ongoing. It had covered 5,042 acres by Tuesday morning.

"Until we don't need a water supply, I guess it's gonna be that way," Collins said.

[Guido]

A fire has started in Tehachapi so I imagine they will be pulling resources off the Bull Run fire. I am no longer optimistic about an end to this anytime soon.

[jefsherm]

The fire is still raging but it has moved away from Kernville. It sounds like it is well above 6000 acres and growing. There is now over 1000 personnel, and tons of aircraft fighting the fire. Here are some pictures I took this afternoon from my house.
Here is the bottom of the Cannell Trail.


The trail became a firebreak.






The town is full of firefighters

[jefsherm]

The air attack has been the real show.

[jefsherm]

[CrazyDan]

For updates on the fire:
Inciweb: Bull Fire - Sequoia
and
National Situation Report
(sorry no river specific info that I saw here)

Looks like the West Fire in Tehachapi is being managed by Cal Fire and Kern County while the Bull is under USDA FS management. They both have a lot of man-power and resources as these are the first major fires of the year. As of this morning they still had estimated containment of the Bull set for Sunday; however, the fire behavior is listed as erratic and high growth potential so that could all change.

[Guido]

Overcast skies appeared to have helped out firefighters today. They seem to have made headway (no reports yet as to containment, but the visual test is positive). The road is open to riverkern as of 5 pm today, but closed at that point. Looks like the town run will be in at the very least for the weekend. The lower is unaffected.

[kaihacker]

Here is a good link:

http://www.kerncountyfire.org/incidents.php?id=417

It has an interactive map showing the burn area.