Fire brings suspension of rafting on upper Kern River
| Tuesday, Jul 27 2010 02:51 PM
Last Updated Tuesday, Jul 27 2010 11:02 PM
Rafting on the upper Kern River has been suspended indefinitely as firefighters respond to a blaze that began Monday north of Kernville.
Rafting has been temporarily banned between Kernville and Johnsondale Bridge in Tulare County, and the 15-mile stretch of Mountain Highway 99 between Kernville and Fairview is also closed.
Recreational use of the river is considered unsafe because more than a dozen helicopters are using the river as a water source to fight the fire, Kern County Fire Department spokesman Sean Collins said.
"There should not be anybody getting into that area," Collins said.
Commercial rafting groups were alerted of the suspension by Tuesday morning, Collins said. No timetable has been set for allowing rafters back into the river because the fire is ongoing. It had covered 5,042 acres by Tuesday morning.
"Until we don't need a water supply, I guess it's gonna be that way," Collins said.
Numerous companies offer rafting trips on the upper Kern River, a popular destination for whitewater enthusiasts.
Tom Moore, co-owner of Sierra South Mountain Sports, said his business was shut down Tuesday because of the fire but he hoped the river would be open Wednesday.
In its 25-year existence, Sierra South has only canceled trips because of a fire one other time -- during the McNally Fire in 2002.
Moore said most of the customers who had trips booked for Tuesday had been notified by phone. The people who showed up in person understood why they wouldn't be able to raft, he said.
"It's impacting business in a negative way, but there are homes lost in Riverkern," Moore said. "That's far worse than what we're suffering."
Kern River Outfitters, which had no upper Kern River excursions scheduled Tuesday, was still leading trips on other sections of the river.
General manager Luther Stephens said he was alerted Monday evening by the United States Forest Service that upper Kern trips had been suspended.
Stephens, who lives in Kernville, said he was more concerned with the well-being of his community and was grateful for the interagency response to the fire.
"Their air supports are phenomenal," he said. "Those guys -- it's just amazing how they mobilize. It's mind-boggling."
The companies said they would offer alternative dates or routes to customers whose rafting trips were canceled because of the fire.
Meanwhile, the river wasn't completely void of rafts Tuesday. Several employees of Kern River Tours were busy shuttling firefighters back and forth across the river near the Thunderbird campgrounds, about five miles north of Kernville.
