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The Borel Fire is a large and destructive wildfire burning south of Lake Isabella in Kern, California. As of July 28, 2024[update], the fire has burned 50,126 acres (20,285 hectares) and is 0% contained. The Borel Fire is part of the 2024 SQF Lightning Complex in the Kern and Tulare County area.[1] However, the addition of the Borel Fire as part of the SQF Complex is something of a misnomer as it has been widely reported that the cause of the Borel Fire specifically was by a fatal car accident and not lightning.[2]
| Borel Fire | |
|---|---|
| Date(s) |
|
| Location | Lake Isabella, Kern County, California |
| Coordinates | 35°35′44″N 118°28′54″W / 35.5955°N 118.4816°W |
| Statistics | |
| Perimeter | 0% contained |
| Burned area | 50,126 acres (20,285 ha; 78 sq mi; 203 km2) |
| Impacts | |
| Non-fatal injuries | 2 |
| Evacuated | >4,000 |
| Structures destroyed | >Multiple destroyed |
| Ignition | |
| Cause | Fatal car accident |
| Map | |
  The general location of the Borel Fire in Northern California | |
The Borel Fire is the second largest wildfire in California's 2024 wildfire season.
Background
editThe Lake Isabella area has been known for its explosive and destructive wildfires in recent years and was most notably the location of the deadly 2016 Erskine Fire and 2021 French Fire. However, the area within the direct footprint of the Borel Fire has a very limited burn history aside from the 2010 Canyon Fire that burned 9,820 acres to the north.[3]
Progression
editThe Borel Fire ignited at 1 p.m. PDT on Wednesday, July 24, after a vehicle careened over the side of the canyon along Highway 178, killing the driver and spreading flames to the nearby vegetation in the Kern River Canyon.[4][2] Due to the steep, rugged terrain of the area as well as the warm weather conditions, the fire was able to further establish itself up the canyon with a rapid rate of spread, east of Democrat Springs. Access to Highway 178 was subsequently closed to the public. By nightfall, the fire had expanded to 941 acres (381 ha) and had been placed under management of the SQF Lightning Incident that encompassed the nearby lightning-caused Trout and Long fires.[5] Additionally, evacuation warnings were placed for local residents nearby the fireline.
The fire remained active into its second day of Thursday, July 25, as the fireline could be seen making its way across the ridgetops, escaping retardant lines established by air attack the previous day. By the afternoon, a large flare up on the southeast head of the fire sent it back into a rapid rate of spread. This prompted officials to upgrade the previous evacuation warnings for rural communities in the Kern Canyon to evacuation orders as the fire ballooned rapidly.[6] An evacuation center for displaced residents was established in Tehachapi.
As the fire expanded so too did evacutions as a second evacuation center was established in Lake Isabella before being moved to Ridgecrest early Friday, July 26.[7] Early that day, the fire had been pegged at 7,951 acres (3,218 ha). Throughout Friday, a Red Flag warning was put into effect as conditions deteriorated on the fireline.[8]
The fire quickly continued its aggressive push to the east as high winds, low humidity and rugged terrain sent the fire explosively through the lower rural communities ahead of the fire. This included the historic mining town of Havilah which took a direct hit from the advancing flames, and by Friday evening had been almost entirely destroyed by the Borel Fire.[9][10]
The fire raged further across the Breckenridge Mountain and crossed Caliente Bodfish Road where it advanced into the Tompson Preserve area by Friday night. By this time, the fire had exploded to 38,000 acres (15,378 ha) in size, was still zero percent contained and was described by officials as having grown at a pace similar to what would be expected from a Santa Ana wind driven fire.[9][11]
See also
editExternal links
edit
References
edit- ^ "SQF Lightning Complex┃CAL FIRE". Cal Fire - Borel Fire. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ a b Soren, Kaley. "Borel Fire: How it started, and how it progressed". KGET. Retrieved July 27, 2024.
- ^ Ciani, John. "Canyon Fire 75-percent contained". Canton Daily Ledger. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
- ^ Fire, Kern County [@kerncountyfire] (July 24, 2024). "#BorelFire #VegetationFire" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Sequoia Nat'l Forest, Sequoia Nat'l [@sequoiaforest] (July 24, 2024). "2024 SQF LIGHTNING" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Fire, Kern County [@kerncountyfire] (July 25, 2024). "Update #4#VegetationFire" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Baker, Darla. "Evacuations ordered due to Borel Fire". The Daily Independent. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Hanford, NWS [@NWSHanford] (July 26, 2024). "Red Flag" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ a b Smith, Hayley; Gauthier, Robert. "38,000-acre Borel fire destroys historic Kern County mining town of Havilah". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ Dowd, Katie. "3Historic California gold mining town wiped out by Borel Fire". SFGate. Retrieved July 28, 2024.
- ^ "SQF Lightning Complex ARCHIVE 1┃CAL FIRE". Cal Fire - Borel Fire. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2024.