BLM plans prescribed fire near Walker Pass and Keysville in Kern County
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BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office plans to conduct prescribed fire operations of up to 120 piles of downed hazard trees, branches and understory brush in the Walker Pass Campground and 75 piles in the Keysville North area of the Keysville Special Recreation Area. Burn operations will commence on Oct. 26, and will continue through the end of 2023.
Some of the pile burns will take place in the surrounding areas of the Chimney Peak Recreation Area, located just off of California State Highway 178 and at the junction of the Owens Peak and Cache Peak segments of the Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail in Kern County. Burn operations in the Keysville North area will be located west of California State Highway 155, near the communities of Wofford Heights and Lake Isabella in Kern County.
“The prescribed burns are part of a multi-year fuels reduction effort to strategically reduce hazard trees; remove ladder fuels, which can feed flames to the treetops; and overgrown brush on the forest floor,” said Bakersfield Field Manager Gabriel Garcia. “These treatments improve landscape health by removing hazardous fuels near developed recreation areas and campgrounds and help increase protection of the BLM facilities.”
Planned burning will take place only when weather and fuel moisture allow for safe and successful operations. Smoke may be visible in the area for several days once burning operations are complete.
The Bakersfield Field Office remains under fire restrictions due to dry conditions and high wildland fire danger. The seasonal fire order will remain in effect until further notice. Fire personnel will take additional precautions while conducting prescribed burns during fire restrictions. The public will be notified when current restrictions are rescinded.
The BLM is committed to keeping public landscapes healthy and productive. Updates will be provided by BLM using the #RxBurn through its social media accounts on Facebook and Twitter. For more information, please call the BLM Bakersfield Field Office at 661-391-6000.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.