Owens fire continues through weekend
Firefighters continued to fight flames from the Owens Fire throughout much of the weekend.
“[T]he goal for today is to secure additional fire line[s] and maintain the fire within the original footprint,” BLM public affairs officer Michelle Van Der Linden said in an email to the DI Monday.
The 1,500-acre fire is 75% contained as of Tuesday, according to the latest update from the National Interagency Fire Center.
Officials confirmed there have been no reported injuries or damaged structures at this time. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined as of Tuesday afternoon, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
Kern stays in orange tier for at least 2 more weeks
Ridgecrest Daily Independent
Kern County will remain in the state’s orange tier for at least another two weeks after it failed to meet yellow tier requirements this week.
The California Department of Health reported Tuesday that Kern has an adjusted case of 2.8 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, which meets the state’s orange tier requirements. In order to move into the state’s least restrictive tier, Kern must report an adjusted case rate of 2.0 per 100,000 people for two weeks.
For now, the county currently meets two of three needed criteria. According to the state’s latest update, Kern reported a 1.3% seven-day positivity rate and a 1.8% health equity quartile positivity rate.
Propane tanks explode in Inyokern fire
A fire erupted Monday morning in Inyokern, damaging multiple buildings and scorching the land around the structures.
Propane tanks caught fire and exploded, according to Kern County Fire Battalion Chief Tony Blumer.
People inside were able to vacate the area safely with no injuries, Blumer added. In addition, no one was displaced from a home, according to Kern County Fire PIO Andrew Freeborn
As of 5 p.m., firefighters remained at the scene extinguishing the last remnants of the fire, Freeborn said.
The Kern County Fire Department was called just after 11:30 a.m. to a fire near Owens Peak and Three Pines Canyon in Inyokern, just north of Highway 395.
Kern reports 2 of 3 metrics needed for move into the yellow tier
Ridgecrest Daily Independent
Kern County reported orange tier numbers for the second straight week, moving closer to the state’s least restrictive tier.
Kern County has to report orange tier numbers for another week, as well as yellow tier metrics before it can move into the next tier.
This week, Kern reported a 1.5% countywide testing positivity rate and 2% health equity quartile testing positivity rate, meeting two of three needed metrics.
The county reported an adjusted case rate of 3.7 new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people. Last week Kern County reported an adjusted case rate of 3.2, and in order to meet yellow tier criteria, Kern needs to report an adjusted case rate under 2.