Wildfires threaten businesses and homes throughout Kern County
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — It was a very close call for businesses next to Yokuts Park when a wildfire broke out nearby on Tuesday.
Some employees had to move their cars so they wouldn’t catch on fire.
“A couple of patients came in right away and told us that there was fire next door,” said Kim Jenkins, who works at Stockdale Radiology. The fire had spread to a vacant lot between the business and Yokuts Park.
“Everybody came outside and the smoke was very intense, the fire was burning fast. They made us evacuate all of our vehicles,” said Kim Jenkins. “This is the worst one we’ve had here.”
A day later, another brush fire ripped through the Kern River Canyon and closed Highway 178. In a matter of minutes, the fire expanded to 60 acres.
“We know that we’re seeing wildfires in California 12 months out of the year now,” said Kern County Fire Department Captain Andrew Freeborn. “There’s no fire season any longer.”
Man hospitalized following officer-involved shooting near Liberty High School
Still, there are steps to take and lower the risk of a fire.
“Make sure that they’re removing any of that dry grass around their home,” said Freeborn. “Any of those dead trees, bushes, grasses, they need to make sure that’s all removed. If they have trees in the property, make sure that the limbs that are up to the first six feet of height are removed from the tree.”
It’s also recommended to have a five-foot strip of rocks surrounding your home to help stop fires. The fire department also offers email and text alerts of fires through readykern.com.
Every minute counts when it comes to responding against wildfires. Something Kim Jenkins hopes to never see again at work.
“Within 15 minutes it was fully engulfed. It’s just that quick,” said Jenkins. “Once it lit and the smoke started, it was just burning like crazy.”
Copyright 2024 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17.
