OILDALE, Calif. This afternoon, Kern County firefighters responding to a reported vegetation fire north of Bakersfield were diverted when they spotted a second fire burning along their route. The fire burned just north of the Amazon Distribution Center, between James Road and Petrol Road. Initially 2 acres in size, the fire burned in thick, dry grass and was caught and driven by the afternoon winds. A wildland fire response was ordered to the new start. The flames quickly moved towards commercial and industrial sites, including the Amazon Distribution Center. Air tankers and helicopters dropped fire retardant and water from above while firefighters on the ground performed a direct attack on the fire’s flanks. A structure protection group was assigned to protect threatened buildings that were in harm’s way. The fire made a strong run towards the buildings and other infrastructure but was ultimately halted by the joint efforts of the fire resources on scene. 141 acres were burned. 
No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

The first reported fire, named the “Oil Fire”, located northeast of Highway 65 and Lerdo Highway, was also stopped by firefighters. This fire burned 73 acres.

The combination of these two fires burning simultaneously required a large commitment of Kern County Fire resources to adequately protect the life and property that were threatened. This commitment, however, did not have the impact that it once would have on our ability to protect surrounding areas. This is due to the recent addition of our Medic Squads and Med Units, providing strategically placed Advanced Life Support protection that is in addition to our standard fire station coverage. As the wildfires burned, these Paramedic Units ran 16 emergency calls in the areas impacted by the absence of the busy firefighters. Thanks to Measure K funding, we are able to provide this protection to our community, even during periods of high emergency activity such as what we experienced today.