The fire Tuesday near the community of the Old West ranch, south-east of Tehachapi, threatened more than 100 other structures, Kern County Fire said. It was not known Tuesday night.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency as a result of what is now called the West-Fire and Fire in the current Bull Riverkern. Declaration exempt withdrawal of additional public resources to fight fires.
Shelter for residents was set up about a dozen volunteers from the American Red Cross-Kern Chapter in the old Jacobsen Junior High School, 126 S. Snyder St. As the late evening on Tuesday, less than 10 people were registered for the night at home.
Caroline L'Heureux, a watchman in the California Correctional Institution, was on her way home from work when she saw the smoke. She went to the house and heard from friends that her house burned down.
"I received at birth so I through it," said L'Heureux, who made plans to spend Tuesday night with her daughter in Palmdale.
Despite the loss of their homes, she said that she lived in the area again heartbeat. She loved solitude, and said that you should be there to experience what it's really like.
A friend of L'Heureux's, Merle Carnes, said that this type of community, where all the checks and all the others, to see how they are doing. Carnes, who is president of the local homeowners' association, said that they will take care of people who have suffered losses.
The fire spread so quickly that Wayne Butchko was not even time to grab his dentures. He fled with his two dogs, a pen and Coco.
"I felt the warmth on your back," said Butchko. "I saw the flames, and the trees were just Popping with explosions."
He said firefighters have a big job ahead, and he expects that the wind that blows at night in this area will only get worse.
George Pleshko hair was thin, colorless jacket, but he was still alive. His house on snowshoes court was destroyed.
"When I first saw it, it was a small fire," said Pleshko, "but with the wind and trees blew down the canyon is just."
Exploding propane tanks blew up the debris 100 feet into the air, said Pleshko. The roar of the fire sent the cats scattering.
"My stomach in a knot," says Pleshko.
Red Cross volunteers Diane Arends said the shelters were set up in Tehachapi before, but nothing of this magnitude. She said many people seemed quite optimistic, given the circumstances.
At about 6 pm, the fire had burned about 500 acres. Dozens of county firefighters to the scene arriving reinforcements from Los Angeles.
The fire, reported at 3 pm, began Blackburn Canyon Road, firefighters said. Fire Ravaged by the court and snowshoe Snowshoe Lane.
"The wind was a real factor here," said Kern County fire representative Anthony Romero.
Mark and Kassandra McQuillen of pushing their two-year-old daughter, watching the fire go back, "said devastated region is a unique, self-sufficient community.
"They live minimally," Kassandra McQuillen said. "Everything you take for granted these people have already rejected.
"This off-grid life," added Mark McQuillen.
Mike Niccoli, who lives on Summers Drive in Mountain Valley Airport, said about 4 pm, the fire was burning in the heart of the Old West ranch, rural enclave southeast of downtown Tehachapi, about 2 1 / 2 hours.
"I have many friends in the Old West Ranch, and we called. We can not get this joke, somebody," he said. "We see a huge amount of traffic leaving the area, so we expect a fire evacuation."
Niccoli said he was about two miles from the flames and saw the flames topping of pine in the area. How could judge, the flame, at least 100 feet.
"We heard a lot of propane tanks go", Niccoli said. "I've been here 10 years. I saw the fire, but not as bad as this.
At lower altitudes, dozens of people parked along the road and watched the fire from afar. After dark, Summers Lane, a path that leads to the affected area, like the place the great battle.
Small fires dotted the hillside. Oak trees, spitting fire from its branches. Wooden fences that once protected cattle smoldered and smoked, half consumed by fire.
Further up the hill, blew up the coals cross dirt roads, like hot orange confetti. It was clear, the area was forever changed.
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