News Release

For Release: Sunday, August 6, 2006 3:30 p.m.

Contacts: Debbie Santiago, BLM (661) 332-1754 cell (661) 391-6097 office
Geri Adams, USFS (760) 379-5646 ext. 513 (760) 417-1971 cell

Wildland Firefighters Battle Wildfire West of Kelso Valley Road

A grass and brush fire, now named the Cottonwood Fire, started yesterday, around 1:15 p.m., west of Kelso Valley Road and east of Jawbone Canyon Road. The Cottonwood Fire is burning in a remote location on both private lands and federal public lands administered by Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The fire is estimated to be between 1600-2000 acres in size, but more accurate mapping is underway. Over 208 firefighters from surrounding counties have been mobilized to fight the fire. Currently, a fire camp is being set up at the Southfork Elementary School. Residents are urged to use caution when driving in the area as heavy equipment, fire engines and hotshot crew carriers move in and out of the incident command post and along Kelso Valley Road. Communities will continue to see smoke as the wildfire continues its run through steep terrain, grass and brush. Moderate to extreme fire behavior is expected today.

The threat to several summer homes on Sorrell Peak Road, near Landers Meadow and Mace Meadow in the Piute Mountains remains a priority and structure protection continues. The structures are approximately 1 ½ to 2 miles west and northwest of the fire. Cooler weather is expected today, yet the steep rocky terrain and difficult access remains a concern. Helicopters and air tankers will assist firefighters from the air.

The fire is burning toward Sorrell Peak Road in the Piute Mountains in a north and northwest direction and remains a threat to the Sequoia National Forest.

The Type ll, South Central Sierra Interagency Incident Management Team arrived late last night and command was turned over to Incident Commander Allen Johnson. The team is working close with BLM's California Desert District and Bakersfield offices, Sequoia National Forest, Kern County, California Highway Patrol and the Kern County sheriff's office.

Resources committed to the fire include 19 fire engines, 5 hand crews, 3 dozers, 4 water tenders, 2 helicopters and 5 air tankers. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Kern County Fire Department and the National Forest.

Residences are reminded to be fire safe and to remove dry fuels, creating defensible space around homes, with extreme fire danger remaining through the summer.

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