Plaskett Fire Expands to 5,900 Acres in Big Sur, Prompting Evacuations
The Plaskett fire in Monterey County grew to nearly 5,900 acres, remains uncontained and forced nearby residents to evacuate, while nearby Timber fire continues to burn.
The Plaskett fire, which ignited on Tuesday in California's Big Sur region, had burned more than 5,900 acres (2,400 hectares) in Monterey County by Friday and remained uncontained, Cal Fire said. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Fire crews deployed helicopters and air tankers to drop water on the flames, but steep terrain and limited road access hampered ground operations.
To the north, the Timber fire has consumed over 24,000 acres (9,700 hectares) and is about 21% contained, according to authorities. The fire breached some containment lines, and smoke and cloud cover hindered mapping of its overnight growth.
Both incidents have led to partial closures of Highway 1 through Big Sur.