Sand Fire Final Update

Tehachapi, CA: At approximately 1:00 PM on July 17th 2012, the Kern County Fire Department received a call for a vegetation fire near Sand Canyon Road and Highway 58. On arrival, firefighters were faced with a fast moving fire burning in light grass and brush along west bound Highway 58, one mile east of Sand Canyon Road. Additional firefighting resources were requested from the Bureau of Land Management, Cal Fire, California City Fire, Los Angeles County Fire, and the U.S. Forest Service to help battle the blaze. The Sand Fire has burned approximately 1428 acres and is 100% contained. The fire had potential to grow to between six and eight thousand acres however with additional air resources firefighters have been able to halt the forward progression of the fire. Forty structures were originally threatened in the community of Sand Canyon, but with the assistance of six air tankers, five helicopters, six dozers and over five hundred and twelve firefighters the community was saved. The fire has destroyed one bridge, one uninhabited structure, and twenty-one power poles. A local interagency type three incident management team was implemented to manage the fire by using local agreements in order to reduce fire suppression costs. The cause of the fire was accidental in nature and was attributed to a wheel coming loose from a boat trailer being towed along Highway 58. There have been no reported injuries to firefighters or civilians. Assistance was received from the Kern County Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, and Southern California Edison.