Keene fire burns 75 acres near the Tehachapi Loop
Keene fire burns 75 acres near the Tehachapi Loop
By: Carin Enovijas
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Posted by editor Tue Nov 30, 1999 00:00:00 PST
Viewed 816 times
0 responses 5 comments On May 31, a grass fire burned approximately75 acres of property owned by the Keene Ranch, just east of the Tehachapi Loop. No injuries were reported and no structures were damaged. The cause of the fire remains undetermined.
Kern County Fire Department’s Batallion Chief Mark McDowell said the fire was reported at 12:22 p.m. Although the eight foot flames were quickly contained, crews remained at the scene for 28 hours, working through the night and most of the next day.
Kern County’s Batallion One from Keene, was assisted by helicopter unit 408, which made numerous air drops, in coordination with a Helitack crew from the California Forestry Service. Units from Tehachapi Valley, and Lake Isabella also assisted in the fire’s safe containment.
According to McDowell, Caterpillars and approximately 75 firefighters working in hand crews, cut a line outside the fire’s perimeter.
McDowell said the incident utilized less than 3 percent of the department’s resources and he was quick to praise the crews’ successful teamwork: “We depend on other agencies. No one can do it alone.”
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Sat Jun 3, 2006 20:55:41 PDT
" California Forestry Service" was never any where near this fire. This story has many inaccurate statements in it. Why doesn't the paper call the County PIO before printing this stuff.
Sun Jun 4, 2006 00:14:26 PDT
Wouldn't east of the loop be the Loop Ranch. I do believe the Keene Ranch is west of the Loop by quite a bit and much closer to Keene or am I mistaken?
Sun Jun 4, 2006 21:46:50 PDT
I was wrong there was two air tankers from CDF on this fire. Never a CDF helitack crew. They left the inmates and kids home for this one.
Mon Jun 5, 2006 10:03:16 PDT
According to Batallion Chief Mark McDowell, Helitack Unit 523, from the CDF responded to assist unit 408, from Keene.
Mon Jun 5, 2006 20:07:46 PDT
It doesn't really matter, but helicopter 523 is a US Forest Service helicopter out of Lake Isabella. It is the only USFS helicopter in Kern County. (they will be going to New Mexico this week, leaving H-408 as the only helicopter in the county)In 5 years I have only worked with one CDF helicopter in the Tehachapi area. What matters is that the hard work by all the firefighters kept this fire small.
