Fire crews have their hands full with two blazes in Big Sur. Photo: Cal Fire
Two blazes are now tearing through dry vegetation in the mountains of Big Sur as the larger Timber Fire continues to challenge fire crews in the region. After Highway 1 was briefly reopened, Cal Fire announced today that a stretch of the iconic Big Sur road will close to support fire operations.
The Plaskett Fire ignited on August 26 in southern Monterey County, 25 to 30 miles south of the Timber Fire, which has been burning in Big Sur since August 9. The Plaskett Fire is listed at 140 acres with zero percent containment, while the Timber Fire has grown to more than 19,000 acres with 21 percent containment. The causes of the fires are under investigation.
Given that the Plaskett Fire is burning in steep terrain more than three miles from the nearest access road, crews have deployed nine aircraft to drop retardant and water. Ground crews have hiked in to defend eight structures threatened by the blaze. Thus far, the Timber Fire has not reached any structures.
The California Highway Patrol closed an eight-mile stretch of Highway 1 on Thursday, blocking through access from north to south. The road had been reopened for just two days before the second wildfire prompted another closure.
To complicate matters, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag” warning of potential lightning strikes and strong wind gusts in the region on Friday as the remnants of Tropical Storm Iselle move through.
