Update: 50% containment reached for Baker Fire in Kern County

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Updated: 7:07 a.m. May 7

First discovered: 12 hours ago, 6:15 p.m. May 6

Initial location: Bena Road East of Hwy 58, Ilmon, Kern County, Calif.

Fire unit: Kern County Fire Department

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Baker Fire

Baker Fire initially started 6:15 p.m. May 6 on Bena Road East of Hwy 58, Ilmon in Kern County, California.

It has burned 100 acres after being active for 12 hours. By Thursday morning, the fire crew succeeded in containing 50% of this fire. However, the cause is still under investigation.

See live video from the area:

Https://cameras.alertcalifornia.org/?id=Axis-Bealville1

Fire containment

What does it mean for a fire to be 50% contained?

The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 50% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 50% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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