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By Mike Gervais
Register Staff
7-29-2010 Inyo County is flanked by four wildfires that have flooded the Owens Valley with smoke, destroyed several homes in Kern County and closed a major highway in Mono County.
The Mono Fire is burning in the Mono Basin National Forest Scenic Area of the Inyo National Forest between U.S. 395 and the north end of the Mono Craters, south of State Route 120 East.
S.R. 120 East is currently closed, as are Test Station Road, and the day-use areas at South Tufa and Navy Beach on the shores of Mono Lake. The fire is currently 1,000 acres and the cause is under investigation.
“Erratic gusty winds caused control problems on Tuesday,” a press release on the fire states. “Winds continued on through the night, but this morning are calm hopefully allowing crews and aerial suppression efforts to make good progress.”  The Mono Fire in Mono County is just one of the many blazes surrounding Inyo County and contributing to smoky skies. Luckily, the smoke isn’t causing air quality hazards and there are no fires in Inyo County. Photo by Tiffany Henschel/courtesy Mammoth Times
In Lassen County to the north, the Russell Complex Fire has burned 250 acres since it broke out due to a lightning strike during Sunday’s thunderstorm. Thanks to a massive cooperative effort that includes CalFire, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, California Department of Corrections fire crews and many local agencies, the fire was 90 percent contained Wednesday, and expected to be fully doused before the end of the week.
Kern County isn’t faring as well.
The West Fire, which has already destroyed 30 homes, was threatening another 150 structures as of Wednesday. The Bull Fire in the Bull Run Creek Area of Sequoia National Forest has consumed 11,000 acres and six structures and continues to burn.
The West Fire, which broke out on Monday, is currently 5 percent contained.
The blaze was first reported at about 3:45 p.m. Tuesday as a vegetation fire. A cause for the West Fire has not yet been established, as crews continue to work to gain the upper hand.
The Kern County Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, BLM, Forest Service, and CalFire are cooperating on the 1,230-acre incident, which, as of press time, was zero percent contained.
The Bull Fire is 5 percent contained with 1,129 firefighters on scene battling the blaze.
The Bull Fire was first reported Monday, and was probably started during the weekend thunderstorms, according to the National Park Service.
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proclaimed a state of emergency in Kern County as a result of the fires.
According to Air Pollution Control Officer Ted Schade, while the Owens Valley is getting smoke from the fires, air quality has not reached a hazardous level.
“We have fires all around us, and the big ones, the ones we’re getting the most smoke from, are the Tehachapi fires,” Schade said. “With the wind, we’re not getting hit that hard, but we are getting smoke. The community that got hit the hardest was Independence.”
Schade said that as long as residents are healthy, and able to see the Sierra through the haze, it is probably safe to continue with normal activities.
Those who have respiratory ailments are advised to take it easy and avoid strenuous outdoor activities until the smoke clears.
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