Schwarzenegger declares state of emergency in Kern because of wildfires
| Tuesday, Jul 27 2010 11:29 PM
Last Updated Wednesday, Jul 28 2010 04:35 PM
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Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger listens to a briefing of the West Fire near Tehachapi and the Bull fire near Kernville Wednesday afternoon. The governor was in Tehachapi for the briefing.
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Kern County on Tuesday as two wildfires raged out of control, destroying dozens of homes and sweeping across thousands of acres.
The governor is expected to arrive at the fire area near Tehachapi Wednesday afternoon to survey the damage.
The state of emergency is a result of the West Fire near Tehachapi and the Bull Fire in Riverkern, according to a news release from the governor's office. The fires have caused the evacuation of more than 2,300 people.
In May, Schwarzenegger signed an executive order mobilizing the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and other state agencies to secure and deploy additional resources and personnel necessary to save lives and protect homes statewide from wildfires, the news release said.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors declared a local emergency and had requested that Schwarzenegger declare a state of emergency, the news release said.
As of Tuesday evening, the Bull Fire had grown to 15,000 acres and was only 5 percent contained, according to the Kern County Fire Department. The West Fire, which had destroyed between 30 to 40 homes, was at 500 acres with no containment.
