In Sacramento this morning, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Kern County. The Tehachapi fire, also known as the west fire, has been contained 25 percent. The Bull Fire is only 5 percent contained. Firefighters and containment finally are getting used by cash-strapped California through this state of emergency.
Tehachapi fire background
10 miles south of Tehachapi lies a small town where the Tehachapi fire started on Tuesday. Residents of the Old West Ranch were evacuated after the blaze started. The ranch that split up forming the community is how the fire was named with the name West Fire. A grinder was in dry grass while people started cutting scrap metal in it, beginning the fire. Now you will find 40 homes that no longer stand also as 1,400 acres that were burned. 150 other homes have had to evacuate.
Bull Fire info
The Bull Fire began in Kernville, California and burns 16,000 acres already. Eight homes and six outbuilding were burnt down totally within the first day. The fire has hurt two firefighters so far. The cause of the Bull Fire has yet to be determined, and it is only about 5 percent contained.
Wildfires costs
In budget-strapped California, fighting wildfire is an incredibly expensive proposition. Not only the human cost of possible firefighter deaths, but the financial cost. Fighting fires every day costs between $1 million and $2.5 million. An “average” wildfire fighting year for the U.S. Forest Service costs $500 million or more. Many agencies are responsible to pay these costs in California. The California State Spending budget does most of it. This covers fire fighting and nothing else. Being in a State of Emergency means being able to spend money without knowing where they’re spending it from.
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