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2024 Kern County wildfires

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2024 Kern County wildfires
Part of the 2024 California wildfires
The Borel Fire on July 29, 2024.
Date(s)April 12 - present
Statistics
Total area100,000+ acres (40,468 ha)
Impacts
Deaths0
Structures destroyed223[1]

The 2024 Kern County wildfires are a series of active major and non-major wildfires burning in Kern County, California. The fires began in the month of April and remain active. So far, in the year 2024, California saw one of its worse fire seasons in California compared to recent years. Due to the high amount of precipitation that had fallen the previous winter, there was an overabundance of dry fuels that make it easier for large fires to start. High winds were also present during the summer when fire season is mostly active in the state. This led to the wildfires in Kern County to be destructive and costly.

Out of all 58 of the counties in California, 100,000+ acres (40,468 ha) have burned so far in Kern County alone, which is about 10% of the acreage burned in California in 2024.[2][3] The wildfires in Kern County have destroyed 223 structures and there are no reported deaths or injuries.[4] In addition, the Borel Fire would become the largest wildfire in Kern County history, and the second largest wildfire in the 2024 California wildfire season.[5][6]

Background

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The wildfire season in the U.S. state of California usually begins somewhere between May and June and typically ends between October and December. Because of the unusual amount of rainfall California previously obtained, this led them to an above average amount of dry fuels, which had not just affected Kern County, but most of the state of California. In the city of Bakersfield, California, they got approximately 2.22 inches of rain during the winter, which is about one inch above average, leading to much more fuel able to grow.[7] The components of having plenty of fuel, high winds, and record-breaking heat led the way for 2024 being one of Kern County's worst fire seasons ever recorded.[8]

Wildfires

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The following is a list of fires that burned more than 1,000 acres (400 ha), or produced significant structural damage or casualties.

Name Acres Start date Containment date Notes Ref
School 1,479 May 2 May 3 Fire sparked northwest of Wind Wolves Preserve. [9]
West 1,575 June 2 June 5 Fire sparked in the Antelope Valley, northwest of Rosamond. [10]
Road 1,088 June 4 June 6 Burned southwest of Taft. [11]
Lost 3,600 June 6 June 11 Burned west of the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. [12]
Olive 1,310 July 3 July 5 [13]
Hurricane 12,703 July 13 July 17 Started in San Luis Obispo County, burned mostly in Kern County, South of McKittrick. [14]
White 5,646 July 13 July 26 Lightning-caused; the fire sparked evacuations for Twin Lakes. [15]
Rancho 9,950 July 13 July 26 Started southeast of Arvin. [16]
Lost Hills 4,032 July 14 July 15 Burned north of Lost Hills. [17]
Borel 59,288 July 24 September 15 Burned in the Sequoia National Forest. The fire was started by a fatal accident. The fire destroyed 223 structures and damaged 29. The fire destroyed the historic town of Havilah. [18][19][20][21]
Pendulum 269 August 16 August 16 The fire impacted multiple houses in Bakersfield. [22]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Kern County Emergencies". Kern County Fire Department. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  2. ^ "Kern County Emergencies". Kern County Fire Department. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  3. ^ "2024 Fire Season Incident Archive". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  4. ^ "Kern County Emergencies". Kern County Fire Department. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  5. ^ "Borel Fire: Biggest Wildfire in Kern County History". KGET 17. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  6. ^ "2024 Fire Season Incident Archive". California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  7. ^ "Bakersfield Monthly Precipitation By Water Year". weather.gov. National Weather Service. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  8. ^ "California heat: A 'potentially historic' heat wave intensifies along the West Coast, as dangerous wildfires spread". cnn.com. CNN. 5 July 2024. Retrieved October 10, 2024.
  9. ^ "School Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Archived from the original on May 14, 2024. Retrieved May 13, 2024.
  10. ^ "West Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 3, 2024.
  11. ^ "Road Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 5, 2024.
  12. ^ "Lost Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  13. ^ "Olive Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 3, 2024.
  14. ^ "Hurricane Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  15. ^ "White Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  16. ^ "Rancho Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  17. ^ "Lost Hills Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  18. ^ "Borel Fire". www.fire.ca.gov. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  19. ^ "Borel Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved July 24, 2024.
  20. ^ "Borel Fire Information". InciWeb. Retrieved August 1, 2024.
  21. ^ "National Fire Situational Awareness".
  22. ^ "Pendulum Fire". Watch Duty. Retrieved October 10, 2021.
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