The Big Sur fire known as the Timber Fire had burned about 800 acres by 5:53 a.m. on Monday, and the Monterey County Sheriff's Office issued evacuation orders for two zones as the response widened. Residents in MRY-F026 and MRY-F027 were ordered out, while three other zones were placed under evacuation warning.
The fire was first reported around 9:40 p.m. on Saturday in the Los Padres National Forest southeast of Loma Vista. By 7:25 p.m. on Sunday, Cal Fire said it had burned about 400 acres, showing how quickly the fire spread before dawn Monday.
Monterey County Sheriff's Office zones
The evacuation orders apply to zones MRY-F026 and MRY-F027. The evacuation warning covers MRY-F024, MRY-F025 and MRY-F028. For residents, the difference is practical: an order means leave the area, while a warning means conditions can change fast enough that people in those zones need to be ready to move.
The fire is burning in a remote location that is difficult to access, which shapes the response around access points and available routes rather than a quick direct attack. That limitation leaves crews working against terrain as the fire keeps spreading through Big Sur and Monterey County.
Cal Fire Monday morning update
Cal Fire said containment stood at 5% Monday morning. That is the complication in this fire: the acreage doubled from Sunday evening to Monday morning, but the line around it remains small, so the response has to keep up with growth while people in the affected zones stay ready to leave.
The cause of the fire is under investigation. Until containment improves and the evacuation zones change, the most urgent question for residents is how far the Timber Fire will move before crews gain control enough to reduce the orders and warnings.
