Timber Fire expands to over 24,600 acres, Highway 1 stays shut

The Timber Fire in Monterey County increased to 24,601 acres, according to a Saturday afternoon update from CAL FIRE, bringing the containment level to 21 percent. The fire has added 1,258 acres since the previous day and is up 8,233 acres since Tuesday night.

Highway 1 remains closed for about 54 miles, from just south of the Little Sur River at Mile Marker 56 to south of Salmon Creek at Mile Marker 2.1, with no set reopening date. The closure is due to falling rocks, rolling debris and fire-weakened trees along steep slopes above the road.

Cal Fire officials listed numerous evacuation orders and warnings for specific zones, and shelter-in-place directives for others, urging residents in order zones to leave immediately and those under shelter-in-place to be prepared to stay for at least a week without external assistance.

Firefighters are reinforcing containment lines from Bottcher’s Gap and Kincannon Road to Los Padres Dam, and along Coast Ridge Road. Hotshot crews are operating from the Ventana Wilderness, supported by helicopters, while ground crews completed planned burns near Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and are now mopping up. Efforts also focus on protecting archaeological sites, native plants and water sources.

An evacuation shelter is operating at the Carmel Mission Inn Conference Room, with additional facilities in Cambria. The Tassajara Zen Mountain Center remains under evacuation order after canceling its guest season due to smoke and poor air quality. The fire threatens 661 structures and has mobilized roughly 1,600 personnel, including engines, hand crews, helicopters, bulldozers and water tenders. The blaze, which started on Aug. 8 southeast of Loma Vista, is still under investigation.