BAKERSFIELD, Cailf. -- The U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Tule River Reservation Fire Department (TIA) and Kern County Fire Department (KCFD) will officially declare the end of the 2009 wildland fire season on Saturday, November 21st.

This will affect all forest lands managed by the Sequoia National Forest located in Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties and include the Giant Sequoia National Monument. This also includes all public lands managed by the BLM Bakersfield Field Office throughout Tulare, Fresno/Kings, Kern, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, and all State Lands protected by the Kern County Fire Department.

Fire officials say with a change in weather bringing cooler temperatures and possible rainfall, which will significantly reduce the threat of damaging wildfires throughout our wildland communities at high fire risk. The public is reminded to continue working on hazardous fuel reduction projects around your valuable homes and stay prepared throughout the winter season.

Most seasonal firefighters are being laid off, and helicopter contracts completed. One of Kern Counties Fire Department helicopters will remain available throughout the year. Remaining fire crews from all agencies will conduct pile burns and complete fuels projects throughout the winter.

During the 2009 fire season, the Sequoia National Forest, Giant Sequoia National Monument and the Tule River Reservation experienced 175 wildland fires. The Bureau of Land Management Bakersfield Field Office responded to 83 wildland fires and the Kern County Fire Department suppressed over 650 vegetation fires.