Update May 18,2026 6 pm. - River Fire forces hard closure of Highway 178 as blaze reaches 1,800 acres

The River Fire had grown to 1,800 acres Monday evening, forcing a hard closure of Highway 178 through the Kern River Canyon as firefighters continued battling the fast-moving blaze in steep terrain.

Kern County Fire Department reported the fire was 10% contained as of Monday evening.

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

CHP implemented a hard closure of Highway 178 in both directions through the canyon, with no public access allowed. Officials said the closure remains in place because of active fire conditions, along with falling rocks and debris affecting the roadway.

The incident is being managed under unified command between Kern County Fire Department and the U.S. Forest Service-Sequoia National Forest. Agencies involved in the response include Kern County Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, Cal Fire, CHP-Bakersfield and Caltrans District 6.

Firefighters continued working the fire Monday evening in steep, rugged terrain. Air resources were heavily engaged throughout the day, with additional Type 1 air tankers and helicopter support requested as crews used retardant drops to slow the fire in areas too dangerous for some ground crews to access on foot.

The hard closure continues to impact Kern River Valley residents, commuters, visitors and commercial traffic traveling between the valley and Bakersfield.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Residents should continue monitoring the Kern Valley Sun website and social media channels for the latest updates as conditions change.