Swan Lane

SWAN FIRE | BAKERSFIELD, Calif.
On June 13th, 2023, at 11:34 a.m. Kern County firefighters were dispatched to a reported haystack fire on the 23000 block of Swan Ln. in northwest Bakersfield. Firefighters arrived to find a lot fire, including multiple haystacks, a single wide mobile home and other valuables involved. Horses were evacuated from the property by the landowners.
The fire was spreading quickly to the east through grass and was igniting a large area of accumulated rubbish including rubber tires. Multiple structures and vehicles were immediately threatened by the flames and the first arriving crew took aggressive action to protect these exposures.
As more firefighters arrived, crews stopped the advance of the fire and began to focus on areas of intense burning within the fire perimeter. The pile of tires burned hot and dirty, sending a black column of smoke skyward. Firefighters cooled the pile, protecting high tension power lines that ran directly overhead. With no water supply nearby, a distant hydrant was used for a “water shuttle” as engines rotated through the process of filling their tanks and carrying water to the scene.
With the help of the landowner, a tractor was used to pull apart and spread out the haystacks, allowing crews to fully extinguish the smoldering bales. The firefighters salvaged all the possessions they could. Thankfully, no homes were lost or animals harmed. Crews performed extensive mop-up in the afternoon heat, ensuring complete extinguishment of the fire. - KCFD PIO