The largest is the /*Bull Fire*/ burning in the /*Sequoia National Forest*/. It scorched 15,982 acres and was 12 percent contained at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fire destroyed 14 structures.
All rafting on the Kern River has been canceled to allow water-dropping helicopters into the area to fill up their baskets. Mountain Highway 99 has been closed from Headquarters Campground to Brush Creek.
The /*West Fire*/ in /*Tehachapi*/ burned 1,400 acres and was 25 percent contained at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. The fire had threatened more than 100 buildings.
What had been a tucked-away paradise known as /*Old West Ranch*/ is now one blackened hillside after another. At least 30 homes have burned in the area, and officials say the number may grow after fire crews get a chance to go out and assess the damage.
The fire was burning in a southeasterly direction back beyond a ridge.
The blaze erupted at about 3 p.m. Tuesday, and wind-driven flames quickly raced through the community. The wind was blowing in every direction, making it difficult for firefighters to keep the flames from spreading.
Tehachapi residents were told to evacuate, and they had barely enough time to gather their pets and belongings.
Some people watched the fire ravage nearly everything they had.
"I was evacuated in a matter of an hour, they came through and evacuated us after the fire started," said Trace Robey, an evacuee. "I'm just feeling happy to know that everybody, as far as we know, all the people are OK."
Katherine Richley, an evacuee, said she had enough time to get her kids' pictures out.
"That was the main thing that I wanted to get, is my kids' pictures. Other than that, everything else can be replaced," she said.
The cause of the wildfires was under investigation.
An evacuation center was set up at Old Jacobs Junior High School in Tehachapi.
