Borel Fire: Kern County blaze 75% contained; evacuations in effect Tuesday

The Borel Fire in a remote part of Kern County has burned over 59,340 acres as of Tuesday and is 75% contained.

The fire began July 24 after a vehicle veered off the side of Highway 178 in the canyon and started a fire. The driver of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the California Highway Patrol.

There are currently 1,619 fire personnel from various agencies battling the blaze, said Amanda Munsey, a public information officer for California Interagency Incident Management Team 11, on Tuesday.

"The numbers of firefighters will start decreasing as that containment increases and they're really hoping to see that number increase in containment over the next two days," she said. "There is still going to be a lot of work in the area so I can't say when everything is going to be completely reopened."

Here's the latest details on the fire:

Borel Fire: Evacuation orders remain in effect on Tuesday

Evacuations have been ordered for the following areas:

• KRN-403-C
• KRN-735-B
• KRN-736
• KRN-737
• KRN-738
• KRN-739-A
• KRN-740-B
• KRN-741-A
• KRN-747-A
• KRN-747-B

Evacuation orders were lifted on zones KRN-403-A and KRN-403B.

Evacuation warnings on zones KRN-750-A, KRN-735-A and KRN-748 were downgraded on Tuesday to normal status making it safe for residents to return, she said.

Borel Fire road and public land closures

Closed lands, roads, trails, and recreation sites around the Borel Fire include:

• Long Valley Campground
• Chimney Creek Campground
• Portions of the Pacific Crest Trail between Highway 178 at Walker Pass (mile 653) and the South Fork of the Kern River bridge
• Portions of Caliente Bodfish Road are also closed

State Route 178 which was closed from 4.1 miles east of the junction of SR 184 to Democrat Springs status has been reopened but there are traffic delays, she said.

Residents under an evacuation warning or order can go to the Tehachapi Education Center at 126 S. Snyder Ave., Tehachapi which is on standby because no residents have used the service. Animal services are available to assist in sheltering companion animals at the center. Contact the American Red Cross at 1-800-733-2767.

A local assistance center

An assistance center will open for residents affected by the fire on Aug. 10 to Aug. 13 at the Lake Isabella SeniorCenter, 6401 Lake Isabella Blvd. Lake Isabella. Center hours will be 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Borel Fire: Damage includes historic mining town

The historic gold mining town of Havilah , except for a handful of structures, from the northern edge to the Walker Basin is a complete loss, officials say.

No estimates have been made of how many other structures have been destroyed since the fire started. There are no reported deaths.

Borel Fire weather forecast: Hot, windy conditions this week

As the warming trend continues for the week of Aug. 5, firefighters will continue to see hotter and dryer conditions, according to forecasters. This will likely cause flare-ups in the areas within the fire perimeter where brush has been smoldering, the Forest Service reported. Winds are expected to peak at 20-22 mph at the hottest part of the day through the week.

A daily smoke outlook is produced for communities affected by wildfire smoke here .

James Ward contributed to this story

This is a developing story.

Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com , 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes .

This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Borel Fire: Kern County blaze 75% contained; evacuations in effect Tuesday