UPDATE: 5:18PM
Firefighters are battling multiple brush fires along Highway 58 east of Bakersfield.
The largest fire is near the Caliente Wash and has burned about 25 acres of grass. Crews have stopped the spread of a 2-acre fire west of Bena Road and have also contained a fire near Comanche Road.
The California Highway Patrol is helping with traffic control in the area.
Traffic is running smoothly in the vicinity of the fires, with only a slight slowdown to the west of where the largest fire broke out.
Camera footage near Tower Line Road showed a significant amount of smoke drifting across the area about 30 minutes ago, but that smoke is no longer visible a possible sign that crews are making progress getting the fire under control.
ORIGINAL STORY:
A fire burning near Highway 58 east of Bakersfield has grown to about 25 acres, with reports of rapid growth.
The General Fire is burning just west of where Highway 223 and Highway 58 intersect, east of Bakersfield. Smoke from the fire has been reported obscuring some lanes on Highway 58, though the roadway remains open.
Most of the fire's growth has been moving away from the highway, pushing to the east.
The fire is continuing to be monitored.
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