![This was the view for A.J. and Frances Durocher as they were on their way home from a CERT Area Coordinator meeting in Tehachapi. [Durocher photo]](https://mountainenterprise.com/wp-content/uploads/AJ-Francis-Durocher-w-375x281.jpg)
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This was the view for A.J. and Frances Durocher as they were on their way home from a CERT Area Coordinator meeting in Tehachapi. [Durocher photo]
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This airtanker was captured by Chuck Noble.
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Dale Sheldon stepped out from the Econolodge Motel in Gorman and got this photo.
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Douglas Page took this shot from the north end of Gorman Post Road.
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Joe Francis captured a wide shot of the entire smoke plume.
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Lance Bergstrom photographed fire crews attacking flames on the hillside near the flashpoint above Frazier Mountain Park Road.
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Rachelle Black saw this from Mt. Pinos Way in Frazier Park.
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Sara Woerter snapped the fire's plume from Frazier Park.
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Pam Sturdevant found hundreds of firefighters at Frazier Mountain Park lining up for food at Cal Fire's mobile kitchen.
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Tommy Hastings caught the plume covering the sun from Tejon Ranch.
FRAZIER PARK, CA (Thursday, May 16, 2013 at 9:10 a.m.)—The Grand fire exploded from a spark on the side of Frazier Mountain Park Road in Lebec at about 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 15 into a 2,500 acre wildland inferno by 3:30 p.m. The morning update Thursday places the fire at 3,500 acres.
Gusting 10-15 mile per hour winds powered the flames through the drought-dried fuels along the mountain ridges. The blaze climbed within 200 yards of the Frazier Mountain High School campus. Students were evacuated shortly after 1 p.m., with robocalls going out to parents to tell them that students would be taking their regular buses home. By 3:30 p.m. the blaze headed into Hungry Valley OHV park, causing evacuations there and in the Piru area as it burned toward Pyramid Lake.
Frazier Mountain High School will be closed today. The High Desert League champion baseball team will be playing their first playoff game at Falcon Field at 3:15 p.m. on Friday.
An estimated 1,000 firefighters are on the Grand fire today. Yesterday we reported 5 tankers and 4 helicopters. Today, the incident command reports 6 Helicopters plus additional fixed wing aircraft.
Kern County Fire Department Public Information Officer Sean Collins said the fire remained active last night until approximately 3:00 am. Focus today will be on the southern edge of the fire, with dozers and hand crews assisted by helicopters. Collins is reporting from the Fort Tejon area.
During the fire, 19 community reporters sent photos to The Mountain Enterprise, covering its impact from throughout the region, from Tejon Ranch to Piñon PInes, Gorman to Frazier Park, and from the Falcons’ high school campus in Lebec.
On behalf of the community, we send sincere thanks and respect for the quick reflexes of these community correspondents (in alphabetical order):
- Rachelle Black
- Lance Borgstrom
- Cliff Coleman
- John and Linda Curtis
- A.J. and Frances Durocher
- Joe Francis
- Tommy Hastings (view from Tejon Ranch)
- Kerry Keiser
- Judy Kolbeins
- Gunnar Kuepper
- Kevin McDonnell
- Chuck Nobel
- Douglas Page
- Scott Parsons
- Scott Robinson
- Raquel Sarabia
- Dale Sheldon -Gorman
- Paul Walter
- Sara Woerter
- Jeff Zimmerman
This is part of the May 17, 2013 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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