Canyon fire explodes to 2,000 acres as it burns out of control in Kern County

A rapidly spreading wildfire in Kern County ballooned from 100 acres to 2,000 acres within hours Thursday as crews battled difficult terrain near Ridgecrest, according to CAL FIRE.

The blaze, identified as the Canyon Fire, was first reported at 3:54 p.m. near Highway 14 and Highway 178.

By 4:02 p.m., officials said the fire had reached 100 acres and was 0% contained.

Just 10 minutes later, the wildfire surged to 800 acres before exploding to 2,000 acres by 5:52 p.m.

Firefighters continued working into the evening to strengthen and improve control lines as rugged conditions complicated access to the fire zone.

“Firefighters continue to build and improve control lines. Terrain is making access difficult,” an update posted at 6:21 p.m. stated.

The incident falls under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management and is not a CAL FIRE-managed incident.

The fire is burning near the El Paso Mountains Wilderness area outside Ridgecrest.

Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation.