WASCO, Calif. (KERO) — Evacuation order lifted for fire near Wasco
- An unknown number of residents were evacuated for several hours overnight due to the risk
- Nearly 20 engines and support vehicles, including 34 firefighting personnel, were on scene
- The fire threatened storage tanks at the Poso Creek Family Dairy that contained 20,000 gallons of natural gas
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
An evacuation order for an area northwest of Wasco was lifted early this morning, as Kern County fire and hazmat crews worked a fire at the Poso Creek Family Dairy on Gun Club Road.
The fire is now out
This is a transcript of the media release sent out just before 4 am Tuesday:
On June 16, 2025, at 10:02 p.m., Kern County firefighters responded to a reported fire on the 13000 block of Gun Club Road. Upon arrival, crews discovered a large fire in a methane gas digester at the Poso Creek Family Dairy. The digester, used to break down manure and produce methane gas through a natural process, had ignited, with flames rapidly spreading across the eight-acre system.
The fire threatened approximately 20,000 gallons of compressed natural gas (CNG) stored in nearby tanks, posing a significant risk to the surrounding community. As a precautionary measure, firefighters immediately requested an evacuation order for a two-mile radius around the incident. Kern County Sheriff’s deputies, alongside fire crews, notified residents in the affected area. All dairy employees were safely evacuated. ReadyKern and Genasys Protect were activated to distribute this critical information to the public.
Fortunately, the CNG tanks’ pressure relief valves functioned properly, venting safely when exposed to the fire’s heat. Firefighters, including the KCFD Hazmat Response Team, worked together to safely extinguish the fire and mitigate the remaining hazards.
The evacuation order has been lifted. There are no further advisories in place.
No injuries have been reported, and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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