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

French Fire Update – September 4, 2021

Acreage: 25,895 Containment: 43% Total Personnel: 1,016

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 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 .

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 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.

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 . You are encouraged to take action immediately if you feel threatened, even if you have not received another ReadyKern message.

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).

No Evacuation Warnings remain in effect. There will be no escorts provided by Law Enforcement, Fire Personnel, or Forest Personnel.

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.

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