CAL FIRE said the Timber Fire grew to 4,868 acres as firefighters kept working the ridges above Big Sur. Marc Bontrager, the Operations Section Chief, said crews spent overnight holding dozer and handlines and preparing for the day’s work.
Bontrager said the fire has shown little growth in the last 24 hours, even as firefighters continue burning operations and containment work near steep ground. The fire is about two-thirds of the way down the slope at Partington Ridge.
Partington Ridge and Longwood Creek
Bontrager said dozer and handlines along Partington Ridge are holding well, with no new fire growth there outside yesterday’s burning operations. Fire activity near Longwood Creek has decreased, and crews are continuing down the ridge to strengthen containment.
Near the Pine Ridge Trail system, activity has remained minimal. Firefighters are also working directly off Coast Ridge Road, and the goal is to secure the northwestern side while maintaining containment south of the Big Sur River.
For readers near the fire line, the practical change is the closure on Highway 1. A 10-mile stretch remains closed in Big Sur to support Timber Fire operations, from 2 miles north of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park to the Big Sur Bakery.
Highway 1 in Big Sur
CAL FIRE said evacuations are in place through Evacuation Orders and Evacuation Warnings. The agency’s order notice says, “This is a lawful order to LEAVE NOW.” Its warning notice says, “Potential threat to life and/or property.”
Firefighters are still using heavy helicopters and water drops in other parts of the wilderness to check hotspots as needed. Steep terrain has limited access to some sections of containment line, so crews are continuing to cold trail and watch for signs of fire activity where the fire is harder to reach.
Today’s weather is part of the fight. CAL FIRE said a warming and drying trend begins today as high pressure builds over the region, while heavy morning fog along the coast may moderate fire behavior at lower elevations on Sunday.
For people near the evacuation areas, the immediate choice is to follow the order or warning that applies to their zone and stay clear of the closed Highway 1 corridor. The fire’s size is larger now, but the line-building and burning work along Partington Ridge suggests crews are trying to hold the upper ground before drier air pushes conditions higher on the slopes.
