In Sacramento this morning, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced a state of emergency in Kern County. The Tehachapi fire, which is officially known as the West Fire, is 25 percent contained. The Bull Fire is only 5 percent contained. Firefighters and containment finally are being 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 began 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. Residents who were cutting scrap metal with a grinder in dry grass began the fire. Now you will find 40 homes that no longer stand also as 1,400 acres that were burned. Approximately 150 other homes are threatened.
Bull Fire info
The Bull Fire started in Kernville, California and burns 16,000 acres already. Eight homes and six outbuilding were burnt down entirely within the first day. Thus far, we have seen two firefighters get hurt. The reason for the Bull Fire has yet to be determined, and it is only about 5 percent contained.
Wildfires expenses
Budget-strapped California has a harder time fighting wildfires right now. Not only the human cost of possible firefighter deaths, but the financial cost. $1 million to $2.5 million is about what it costs per day to fight fires. More than $500 million is spent on an “average” wildfire fighting year. Numerous agencies are responsible to pay these costs in California. The majority of the cost is carried by the California state spending budget. This covers fire fighting and nothing else. Being in a State of Emergency means being able to spend money without knowing where they are spending it from.
