Fire scorches more than 23,000 acres
20 homes destroyed, 1,650 more structures threatened by blaze
BIG SUR — A relentless wildfire that has scorched over 23,000 acres in four days continued to rage Tuesday in Monterey County, blanketing the region with a smoky haze.
The Soberanes fire was only 10 percent contained by 7:10 p.m. and 23,500 acres had burned, according to Cal Fire.
Since it was reported at 8:48 a.m. Friday at Soberanes Creek in Garrapata State Park, north of Big Sur, the blaze has destroyed 20 homes and two outbuildings. It continues to threaten another 1,650 structures.
More than 300 residents have been forced to evacuate and Cal Fire officials said the priority Tuesday is protecting Carmel Highlands because of the proximity of homes to the fire.
A total 2,305 firefighters are battling the blaze, including crews from Alameda, Santa Clara and Contra Costa counties.
“We have firefighters from throughout the state going as hard as they can,” Cal Fire Capt. Lucas Spelman said. “We’ve got them from the Mexican border to the Oregon border.”
Smoke from the fire, mixed with hot temperatures, light winds and vehicle exhaust prompted the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to issue a Spare the Air alert for Wednesday. It’s the third day in a row for an air quality alert and the 11th so far this summer.
The weather won’t make conditions better anytime soon, according to the National Weather Service. A warming trend Tuesday was expected to take temperatures into the 90s in most areas of the South Bay and above 100 in some far East Bay locations.
Pollution experts forecast unhealthy air for both the South Bay and inland valleys in Alameda and Contra Costa counties.
The high-pressure ridge causing temperatures to rise is also spreading smoke, and hazy skies will be present through much of the area, meteorologist Roger Goss of the National Weather Service said.
“We’re not seeing a lot of strong northwest wind,” Goss said. “That’s allowing the smoke to spread to the greater Bay Area and inland, as well as up into the Sierras.”
One development did help. Temperatures stayed in the high 60s and 70s in most of Monterey County near the fire, and a marine layer of clouds lifted, allowing air tankers to attack the blaze.
Normal wind patterns typically would take the smoke over the Pacific Ocean, Goss said, but the high pressure ridge is expected to remain intact until the weekend, when a trough from the northwest is expected to break it down a bit and lower temperatures.
The low humidity associated with the current weather pattern is not helping fire crews, according to Cal Fire.
“It’s also still very hard to get to some of the area on the ground,” Spelman said. “The access is one of the many, many challenges.”
More than 300 residents have been evacuated, and crews have closed several roads, including Palo Colorado Road at Highway 1, Robinson Canyon Road, south of Penon Peak Trail and Weston Ridge Road at Highway 1 State Park.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered at Palo Colorado Canyon, Rocky Creek and Weston Ridge Road, Highway 1 at Old Coast Road south to Old Coast Road at Bixby Creek Road and Garrapatos Road. On Monday afternoon, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office placed Corona Road, east of Highway 1 and Riley Ranch Road, east of Highway 1, in Carmel Highlands under evacuation order.
Evacuation advisories also were issued for Carmel Highlands south of Rancho South Carlos, White Rock, Old Coast Road south from Bixby Creek Road to Little Sur River.
An evacuation center remains open at Carmel Middle School, 4380 Carmel Valley Road.
The cause of the blaze, which started near Palo Colorado Canyon and Garrapata State Park, remains under investigation.