SHAFTER, Calif., On November 6th, 2023, at approximately 2:35 a.m. Kern County firefighters were dispatched to a reported fire burning near Shafter Ave. and Imperial St. On their arrival, firefighters discovered large piles of dead almond trees on fire. As almond trees reach the end of their productive life, they are uprooted for removal. This field of dead and downed trees was approximately a half mile square in size with a third of the area involved in flame. Firefighters quickly requested assistance from the Kern County Fire Heavy Equipment Facility. When the Heavy Equipment Specialists arrived, a fire dozer was used to create a fire break around the entire inferno. This provided protection to the nearby area even while the fire continued to burn. Due to a lack of fire hydrants in this rural location, fire engines shuttled tanks of needed water to the scene. The dozer moved the burning materials into a single, mountainous pile and large water streams were aimed into the blaze. Using the might of KCFD dozers and sound firefighting tactics, firefighters limited a fire that could have burned for days to just a few hours.

No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is unknown.