The Plaskett Fire in Big Sur reached 61% containment Wednesday, Sept. 9, after burning 29,862 acres since it ignited near Gorda on Wednesday, Aug. 26. But Cal Fire warns the blaze could still flare up.
The threat is not over.
Cal Fire Battalion Chief Josh Silveira, stationed at the Carmel Highlands Fire Department, said conditions have moderated but cautioned that the fuels feeding the fire are old and dry.
"I don't want people to get overconfident or rest on their laurels," Silveira told KAZU while driving along Highway 1 in a yellow firefighting jacket. "Folks in the area that could be affected by these fires still should remain ready to go."
The Monterey Bay Air Resources District warned that some communities downwind of the Big Sur fires could see unhealthy air quality through Thursday, Sept. 10, when a Central Coast heat advisory expires. The district did not specify which communities or air quality thresholds in the available advisory.
The U.S. Forest Service warned that the hot, dry weather could also rekindle the nearby Timber Fire, which has burned 25,380 acres and sits at 27% containment. Together, the two fires have scorched more than 55,000 acres in the Los Padres National Forest, according to Cal Fire as reported by the San Luis Obispo Tribune.
Evacuations shift but hold
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office downgraded several evacuation orders to warnings near the Plaskett Fire on Wednesday morning, according to KAZU's live blog. Evacuations in northern San Luis Obispo County were also lifted. Specific zone numbers were not listed in the latest update.
Residents can check their zone status at readymontereycounty.org.
Highway 1 partially reopened
The northern Highway 1 closure tied to the Timber Fire is no longer in effect, according to the East Bay Times. The southern stretch remains closed between Pacific Valley and the Monterey-San Luis Obispo county line to support Plaskett Fire operations.
That closure means drivers cannot travel the full coastal route between the Monterey Peninsula and Cambria. Caltrans has advised motorists to use U.S. Route 101 instead, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
Fire threatens military land
The Plaskett Fire has moved onto Department of Defense land at Fort Hunter Liggett, threatening sensitive military infrastructure, according to Cal Fire as reported by the San Luis Obispo Tribune. The fire's eastern edge sits in steep terrain that had not burned in more than 50 years, allowing fuels to build up, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Cal Fire said crews continue strengthening control lines with strategic firing operations and aviation support. Steep, rugged terrain and limited access remain challenges.
Big Sur resident Brendon Shave lost his home on Aug. 28 during the fire's first days, according to the East Bay Times.
Fire updates are posted at readymontereycounty.org as conditions change.
