Update: River Fire grows to 225 acres in Kern River Canyon; Highway 178 closure expected through the night

The River Fire in the Kern River Canyon grew to 225 acres Monday as firefighters continued battling the blaze in steep terrain, while officials said Highway 178 will remain closed through the night due to fire activity, falling rocks and debris affecting the roadway.

The fire was reported at about 8:22 a.m. Monday in the 19600 block of Kern Canyon Road near the mouth of the canyon, according to emergency dispatch traffic.

CHP ordered a hard closure of Highway 178 on both ends of the canyon earlier in the morning. By Monday afternoon, emergency radio traffic indicated the closure would remain in place overnight.

Fire officials said the blaze continues moving upslope and farther up the canyon. The U.S. Forest Service has joined Kern County Fire Department in unified command on the incident.

Air resources remained heavily engaged Monday afternoon. Watch Duty reported air attack requested two additional Type 1 air tankers — bringing the total requested to three — along with an additional helicopter. Firefighters have been using retardant drops in terrain considered too steep for some ground crews to safely access on foot.

Agencies involved in the road closure include CHP-Bakersfield and Caltrans District 6. Officials said falling rocks and debris have affected Highway 178, adding to the need for the continued closure.

The fire’s growth and prolonged shutdown continue to disrupt one of the Kern River Valley’s primary routes to Bakersfield, affecting residents, visitors and commercial traffic.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Because this remains an active incident, fire size, containment and road closure information may change by the time of publication.