Wildfire Rips Through Kern County

Six homes destroyed

A roaring wildfire Monday evening was menacing a large community on the southern steps of the Sequoia National Forest in Kern County.

Fire officials reported 1,800 people living in the rugged area just outside Kernville have been told to evacuate because they are in the fire's path.  Kernville is located about 50 miles northeast of Bakersfield.

At 9 p.m. fire officials said 6 homes had been destroyed by the fire. More than 4,200 acres have burned and 500 firefighters are on the front lines of the fire along with seven water dropping helicopters.

The fire is centered in an area called Bull Run, beside the Kern River and a couple miles upstream from Kernville. The fire is burning on both sides of the river and both sides of Sierra Way.

Authorities are calling the wildfire the "Bull Fire."    It started at 1:45 p.m.  The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

An evacuation center was established at the Community Senior Center on Lake Isabella Boulevard.

Seven helicopters are dropping water on the fire and over 300 firefighters are on the ground.

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