The fire broke out on the west side of Interstate 5 of Vines triggered an evacuation warning in Kern County.

Fort Fire started at Lebec by 11:30 p.m. Wednesday and had increased to 220 acres by Thursday morning, accounting for 5% as commuters began morning trips through Tejon Pass. A helicopter with water is expected to start fighting the fire.

Kern County Fire Department posted on X: "If you are traveling through the I-5 in the area, slow down and work near the road and around it. Expect delays and caution to drive."

According to firefighter Andrew Freeborn, at least one of the southbound lanes of the five highways was closed as firefighters worked to install the fire.

"Last night was a very tough struggle for a few reasons," Freeburn said. "It's really steep and it's nighttime, and it's really daunting when you're trying to hike these conditions. There's a big downwind that pushes the fire northward."

After sunrise, firefighters were able to be more effective and had air supply blockers on the fire.

"We're seeing 180 in this fire behavior," he said. "Last night, it was developing rapidly. Today, it sat down and we were able to be really aggressive."

Kern County officials issued evacuation warnings to Digier Canyon and Lebec-Area residents.

The boundary of the evacuation warning is directed to residents south and west of Highway 5, north of Temescal Drive and Digier Road and north of Grapevine Road.

According to National Weather Service Forecaster Emily Wilson, the fire broke out at about 84 degrees and the winds were as high as 16 mph.

According to the Meteorological Bureau, the humidity level near the fire is about 45%, gradually increasing to around 7 a.m. before sunrise. By Thursday afternoon, it dropped to 34% throughout the day.

On Thursday night, temperatures are expected to be at a low of 60 seconds, with winds on the ground at about 5 to 7 mph, mid-50s to altitude, Wilson said.

Jeremy Ruiz, a public information officer for the fire department, said wildfires were common in the area.

“This area, especially where you pass on grass and highways, is very common,” he said. “Highways are a big reason, whether it’s cigarettes or tow chains, or car accidents, there are a lot of things that can cause fire.”