By LAURA Austin News Review Staff Writer–
Reports of three fires came across the 911 emergency lines this week. Two of the reports were significant in nature and required Kern County Fire Department (KCFD) to dispatch several engines as well as mutual aide from China Lake Fire Department (CLFD).
The first fire occurred in the evening of Sunday, August 14 at the Town & Country Mobile Home Park on N Norma St. in Ridgecrest. The call came in at 5:21 PM as a report of a tree on fire. Kern County Fire engines arrived on scene at 5:29 PM and observed a fire in the rear of an uninhabited mobile home. Firefighters contained the fire shortly after arrival.
The fire started with a tree adjacent to the mobile home. The fire spread from tree to debris in close proximity to the mobile home which consequently caught fire leading to 60% of the mobile being consumed. Two other mobiles nearby were threatened but firefighters were able to contain the fire to the original mobile home.
Community members, who lived in the mobile home park, stated concerns that the cause of the blaze was arson and that there may have been individuals living in the structure: however, fire department officials did not indicate that being the case.
They stated that the incident still needed further investigation and the cause is undetermined. There were no reports of injuries as a result of the fire.
The second fire occurred on Monday August 15 at 10:47 AM of a house on fire on W. Graaf St. in Ridgecrest. Kern County Fire Department arrived on scene at 10:56 AM and found a 4000 square foot building on fire, which was a personal garage/shop behind the actual address. KCFD brought the fire under control by 11:11 AM. According to Kern County Fire Department Public Information Officer Erica Bain, the probable cause of this fire was a potential electrical issue. No injuries were reported as result of the fire. The China Lake Fire Department engines responded to render mutual aid to the incident.
