Sacramento, California - California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Director Mark Ghilarducci today secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the Erskine Fire burning in the Lake Isabella area of Kern County. The FMAG also enables local, state and tribal agencies to recover eligible costs.

Thus far, the fire has burned approximately 2,500 acres, has destroyed structures, and is threatening areas near Lake Isabella. Evacuations are in effect for the areas of Bella Vista, South Fork, Weldon, Onyx, Lakeland Estates, Mountain Mesa, South Lake, Squirrel Valley and Yankee Canyon. Evacuation centers are located at Kern Valley High School and the Lake Isabella Senior Center. Road closures are in effect with Highway 178 closed at Highway 155 and Sierra Way.

Meanwhile, Cal OES Fire, Law Enforcement and Emergency Services Coordinators have been on the scene since early in the firefight working with Kern County Fire Department, CAL FIRE and the Bureau of Land Management to dynamically assess and address mutual aid needs for the Erskine Fire.

The federal grant, which is provided through the President's Disaster Relief Fund on cost-share basis, will assist local, state and tribal agencies responding to the fire to apply for 75-percent reimbursement of their eligible fire suppression costs.