King Fire affects 135 acres on Mountain Road 56

Fire is 25 percent contained

A wildland fire that started at 5:02 p.m. on Tuesday has affected 135 acres on Mountain Road 56, sending one person to the hospital with a minor injury and causing a number of traffic restrictions through the area.

A wildland fire that started at 5:02 p.m. on Tuesday has affected 135 acres on Mountain Road 56, sending one person to the hospital with a minor injury and causing a number of traffic restrictions through the area.

Toni Davis, the public information officer for Calfire Tulare Unit, said the King Fire was 25 percent contained as of Wednesday.

She said a total of 21 fire engines, 12 fire crews, two water tenders, two helicopters, four bulldozers and a total of 241 personnel are working to put out the fire.

Even though the fire is listed as being in the California Hot Springs community, Davis said the fire would have to grow significantly to affect residents living there. According to the Tulare County Fire Department, the fire is near King George Peak, west of California Hot Springs. It is burning in grass, brush and some Oak trees.

“We are kind of in between the Fountain Springs Calfire station and California Hot Springs so we’ve got a good six to seven miles before it would ever reach the actual community,” Davis said. “If the acres don’t go up then it is usually a good sign.”

Davis said the cause of the fire is under investigation, and noted there have been no evacuations in the area. She added that no structures have been damaged or destroyed by the fire.