(Fire out, evacuations canceled) Grass fire in Lebec threatens homes and post office—Evacuations in progress

  • Flames climb high as Kern County firefighters try to hold the fire to the field on the north side of Lebec Post Office. [photo by Gary Meyer]

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    Flames climb high as Kern County firefighters try to hold the fire to the field on the north side of Lebec Post Office. [photo by Gary Meyer]

  • Flames are just to the north of Lebec Post Office. [photo by Gary Meyer]

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    Flames are just to the north of Lebec Post Office. [photo by Gary Meyer]

  • U.S. Forest Service firefighters hose down flames along Lebec Road. Working the firehose is Susanne Green, former employee at The Mountain Enterprise. [photo by Gary Meyer]

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    U.S. Forest Service firefighters hose down flames along Lebec Road. Working the firehose is Susanne Green, former employee at The Mountain Enterprise. [photo by Gary Meyer]

UPDATE: LEBEC, CA (June 5, 2015 at 7:33 p.m.)—The final acreage on the Post Office fire was 3.1 acres, according to Battalion Chief Shawn Whittington. The fire started somewhere near the west side of Interstate 5, although officials are not able to say at this time what caused the fire.

UPDATE: LEBEC, CA (June 5, 2015 at 6:48 p.m.)—Kern County is now saying they have a “cautious containment” of the Lebec grass fire they thought was over, until a wind kicked up and carried sparks a quarter mile away to start another blaze. Battalion Chief Kirk Kushen said they had a jet come through to lay down retardant on the hill to the southwest of the post office where a new fire started to burn.

UPDATE: LEBEC, CA (June 5, 2015 at 6:04 p.m.)—
Some engines, tankers and crews have been released from the Post Office fire. Another update will be  posted within the hour.

UPDATE: LEBEC, CA (June 5, 2015 at 5:08 p.m.)— Spot fires from the Post Office fire have reached the area of Circle Drive and Lebec Road. Evacuations are in progress for the Circle Drive area and south Lebec.

LEBEC, CA (June 5, 2015 at 4:10 p.m.), with updates— At 4 p.m. The Mountain Enterprise headed to a site where a grass fire was reported, located in the general area of the Lebec Post Office.

At 4:35 p.m. Lebec resident John Delmos called. “It was right across from the post office in a field choked with dry trees and brush. It looks like it started between the freeway and Lebec Road, but sparks could have blown there from the freeway. There is a tree on fire. Now a helicopter is coming in.”

“It looks like they have saved the post office,” Gary Meyer said. “Helicopter 407 has come in,” he reported at 4:40 p.m. The fire started east of Lebec Road, then spotted west of Lebec Road. “But that seems contained by now.” He estimates that about three acres have burned, but that is not the official report.

Kern County Fire Engines, 56, 57, 58 357, 356 and USFS Chuchupate Engine 71 responded, along with KCFD Helicopter 407.

This is part of the June 5, 2015 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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