Crews battling the Cuesta Fire on Thursday were facing windy conditions and rugged terrain as they worked to get a handle on this 3500 acre wildfire that started Sunday night.
At a staging area near the Cuesta Fire on Thursday, Cal Fire leaders were in organizational mode, and a group of state prison inmates were working to create a containment line by clearing brush.
" The plan right now is working with both hand crews, several dozers and our small engines to possibly put a contingency line here," said Andrew Crown, Kern County Fire Captain.
The bulldozers are used to clear areas as safe zones for firefighters in case of an emergency.
CAL FIRE is using helicopters called skycranes to battle the flames. Skycranes have a large hose attachment that sucks up to 1900 gallons of water into the aircraft's holding tank.
Both water and flame retardants are being used to slow the fire's spread.