Doorhanger program protects citizens from vacant structure fires

Trying to create a community solution to tackle a safety issue here locally. That’s what the Bakersfield Fire Department is working to do through a new program. “Securing the vacant structures is a very difficult task.” In 2021, the Bakersfield Fire Department reported 117 vacant structure fires. That’s of 452 total structure fires and about 4,000 fires in total. Battalion Chief Brian Bowman with the Bakersfield Fire Department said the number of fires has been gradually rising.