Quick Take
After starting Sunday morning in Big Sur, the Timber fire had grown to nearly 2,500 acres as of Tuesday afternoon and was 5% contained.
A wildfire near Big Sur had burned more 2,000 acres as of Tuesday afternoon, with evacuation orders and warnings in place in the surrounding areas.
The Timber fire was first reported on Sunday at 10:44 a.m. As of 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, it had burned 2,478 acres and was only 5% contained. Authorities added an additional zone Tuesday to the areas under evacuation orders, bringing the total to five, and four others were under evacuation warnings. The blaze is on federal land in the Los Padres National Forest, and the cause was still under investigation.
“Overnight, the northern and eastern portions of the fire remained active, burning primarily above the marine layer,” Cal Fire reported in a Tuesday morning update. “Firefighters observed single tree torching and upslope runs. The fire continues to hold on the east side of Highway 1.
“Firefighters continued to protect structures primarily near Highway 1 in the Ventana area. They cleared brush and other potential threats around property, set up water systems, and secured access for firefighters and firefighting apparatus. The heavy marine layer prevented night flying helicopters by limiting visibility to dip sites located below the marine layer. Crews are actively working to establish a water dip site above the inversion layer today.”
Cecile Juliette, the Cal Fire San Mateo-Santa Cruz Unit spokesperson, was at the scene of the fire on Monday, and told Lookout that a Cal Fire incident management team would assume command of the fire at 6 p.m. despite the fire occurring on federal land. Juliette added that it isn’t common for the state agency to assume this role in a federal fire.
“California’s wildfires are not as active as in other parts of the West right now, so it gives Cal Fire the ability to support our federal partners,” she said.
According to a Cal Fire post on X, incident management teams are specialized groups of emergency personnel that provide leadership and coordination during complicated incidents. The groups direct and supervise fire suppression efforts, resources, logistics, safety and more.
Click here for Cal Fire’s latest information regarding the fire.
Have news that should be in Lookout Briefs? Send your news releases, including contact information, to news@lookoutlocal.com.
