UPDATE 8/27 8:30 AM:
The fire is 76% contained.  It remained quiet through the night, allowing firefighters to secure the fireline and extinguish hot spots up to 300 feet inside the the fire. Today, crews will continue this work, and will be supported by aircraft as needed. In addition, repair of damage caused by suppression activities will continue. This work is expected to be completed by this evening.

click for a larger image

UPDATE 8/26 6:30 AM:
The fire is at least 60% contained.  Interior burning occurred within the fire area yesterday, with no forward movement outside the fire perimeter.  Significant progress was made constructing fireline.  In addition, mop up activities were also conducted, to ensure no hot spots remain inside the containment line. Efforts last night were focused on completing construction of fireline along the western edge of the fire. That will continue today.

No evacuations are in place at this time. All schools that were previously closed in the fire area will be open today for regular classes. 

UPDATE 8/25 1:05 PM:
Judy Rose tells The Mountain Daily News that the fire started at Lebec Rd; approximately 25 feet outside her gate.  The fire burned around the Rose home as it head toward Los Padres Estates.  See the map at the bottom of this page for an approximate location of the start of the fire.

Judy Rose speculated about a cigarrette butt tossed out a car window as the cause.  But this hasn't been confirmed by fire investigators.

At the end of O'Neil Canyon (click for a larger view)

About 1 1/2 miles up O'Neil Canyon in Los Padres Estates (click for a larger view)

Picture by Peter Bogdanoff, owner of Chatterpillar

UPDATE 8/25 12:43 PM:
The fire is 30% contained.  Click "read more" to see a fire perimeter map.

UPDATE 8/25 11:18 AM:
Firefighters are planning an aerial attack today on the fire. 200 homes in Kern County were evacuated yesterday, but those orders were lifted later in the day. Fire Commander Mark Geary says low temperatures and higher humidity allowed crews to close in on the fire overnight, but temperatures in the area today are expected to reach triple digits, making it difficult for crews fighting the fire. The cause of the fire, which is burning about 60 miles northwest of Los Angeles, is currently under investigation.  So far 1,308 acres have burned.  Fire command has moved from Flying J to Grapevine.

Resources Assigned to the fire:

Crews: 19

Engines: 72

Dozers: 14

Water Tenders: 9

Helitankers: 8

UPDATE 8/24 6:38 PM:
Approximately 200 firefighters are on-scene including assistance from the US Forest Service and LA County, Kern County Sheriff, and CHP.  Water and fire retardant were applied from KCFD helicopter 408, with assistance with DC-10 and other air resources. Currently 5 helicopters and 5 fixed wing are assigned.

This fire has burned 1100 acres and approximately 40 to 50 homes are at immediate risk. The fire evacuation center is located at Frazier Park Mountain High School in Frazier Park.

Kern County Fire Department, Bureau of Land Management, and the US Forest Service responded to a report of a wildland fire at approximately 12:15 this afternoon.  The fire started in Lebec and is actively burning.  Residents were evacuated and many homes were threatened by this wildfire.  Evacuees were sent to Fraizer Mountain High School.  Approximately 120 firefighters were fighting the fire with the assistance from helicopters and other aircraft by 2:00 PM.

Lebec resident Bob Anderson watched what he thought was a DC-10 drop several loads on the fire.  Fred Rose almost lost his home located about 1/4 mile west of Lebec Rd.  Several trees on his property were burned but winds shifted and drove the fire west before his house caught.  Fire crews credited the saving of his home to proper brush clearance.

Developing...