A wildfire burning near the Grapevine grew to about 500 acres Wednesday, prompting authorities to issue an evacuation order for an area south of Lebec, according to the Kern County Fire Department.

The Buzzard Fire was reported at about 8:30 a.m. roughly 1.5 miles south of mile marker 8 near Lebec. Fire officials said the blaze expanded rapidly throughout the morning, growing from an initial estimate of 30 acres to 180 acres before reaching approximately 500 acres.

Authorities upgraded an earlier evacuation warning to a mandatory evacuation order for Zone KRN-535.

“Leave NOW, there is an immediate threat to life due to a wildfire in your area,” the Kern County Fire Department said in an update.

An evacuation order is issued when there is an immediate threat to life, requiring residents to leave the area as quickly and safely as possible.

Officials directed residents to the county’s online evacuation map for information on affected areas and evacuation routes.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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