Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020 Cause: Unknown

Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory

Size: 24,860

Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur

Containment: 20%

Injuries: 0

Total Personnel: 1,019

Resources:

Hand Crews: 16

Engines: 84

Dozers: 10

Helicopters: 8

Water Tenders: 31

Current Situation:

Today the fire was very active on the north side, picking up around 10 AM. Crews worked hard to maintain the northern fire perimeter along McWay Ridge despite the active fire behavior. There is a spot along this Ridge where the fire escaped the perimeter by a few meters and firefighters are working to clean up that area and pull the fire back.

In the southeast, firefighters are assessing how to best engage the fire around Cone Peak. If the fire behavior is low and slow, then crews can engage directly along the fireline and potentially cut it off before Cone Peak. If fire behavior is active and aggressive, then firefighters will pull back create a new line to the southeast of Cone Peak.

The east side of the fire progressed and continues to grow as crews prioritize the north and the south sides of the fire to protect local communities in the north and south. The west side of the fire along Highway 1 is the next highest priority. Long stretches of the fire east of the highway have been contained, but some sections are persisting to smolder, burn, and deploy rolling material over the highway. Crews will be patrolling Highway 1 overnight to prevent the fire from crossing via rolling material or by burning down drainages and underpasses.

Overnight the fire is expected to be active until early in the morning, slowing down before dawn, and then picking back up as the marine layer lifts around 10 AM.

There is a new road closure at Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, which is closed to all traffic (public and residential) from Highway 1 to the Fort Hunter Liggett base boundary line 16 miles inland. This closure includes the intersection with South Coast Ridge Road at Nacimiento-Fergusson Road summit. All other road closures remain in place.

The fire continues to pose a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.

Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 82 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 3.8 million acres with over 1.1 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.

Carmel Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

River Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Updates and Meetings: Fire Information is producing two daily written updates. To request an update, email 2020.dolan@firenet.gov and provide your email address. There was a community meeting today at 2 PM. The meeting was live-streamed on the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page can be viewed retroactively.

Weather: The marine inversion will develop overnight to around 1200 feet deep and will create morning low clouds and fog across the west flank of the fire. Clear and smoky skies are expected for the afternoon in the west. The eastern perimeter burns in drier and warmer conditions. Weather conditions will be monitored closely to adapt and execute an appropriate plan.

Evacuations / Closures: Click here for an interactive map of Monterey County evacuations. For information about state highway closures go to https://roads.dot.ca.gov/. Los Burros Road, Plaskett Ridge Road, and South Coast Ridge Road are closed to all but residents.

Smoke: The Monterey Bay Air Resources District has issued a Wildfire Air Quality Advisory. When the concentration of smoke has reached UNHEALTHY levels of the AQI, residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. Updates on the current air quality forecast and Air Monitoring data can be found at http://air.mbard.org/.

A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: National Weather Service, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Big Sur Volunteers, Cal Trans, California State Parks, OES, Ventana Wilderness Alliance

Safety Message: This will be a long duration event. Residents in the affected area are encouraged to continue to prepare for the possibility of fire in their area in advance. Go to https://www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn how to prepare.

Actualizado: 2020-08-28 11:08 PDT

Aviso Especial

Para obtener información detallada sobre los avisos locales de calidad del aire, consulte los enlaces mas adelante. Hay una advertencia de Bandera Roja por ráfagas de viento y relámpagos secos en efecto hasta las 5:00 pm de hoy.

Incéndios

Fuego CZU: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czulightning-complex-includingwarnella-fire/

Fuego River:

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Fuego Carmel:

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

Fuego Dolan: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018/

Humo

Ayer vimos un poco de mejoría en la calidad de aire con respecto al día anterior. Hoy se esperan condiciones similares debido a la presencia de la capa marina. Se pronostica una tendencia a condiciones calientes y secas durante los próximos días, y hasta la próxima semana. Se pronostica que las condiciones de humo en toda el área de pronóstico muestren una calidad de aire de buena a Muy Insalubre. La intensidad del humo seguirá dependiendo de la actividad de los incendios, dentro y alrededor del área de pronóstico.

Más

La calidad del aire puede cambiar inesperadamente. Si comienza a notar los efectos del humo en la salud, le recomendamos que siga las "acciones para protegerse" en los enlaces a continuación.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur

Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory

Size: 23,365*

Containment: 20%

Injuries: 0

*No IR flight was completed last night due to demands from other fires.

Resources:

Hand Crews: 14

Engines: 74

Dozers: 10

Helicopters: 8

Water Tenders: 25

Total Personnel: 902

Virtual Meeting Today:

There will be a community meeting today at 2:00 PM that will be live-streamed on the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page. That video can also be viewed retroactively on the same Facebook page. Please send any questions to 2020.dolan@firenet.gov prior to 1:30 PM today.

Current Situation:

Overnight the fire was active in the north, but crews worked to keep the fire contained, prioritizing the protection of local communities and infrastructure. Firefighters patrolled Highway 1 and kept the fire from spreading to the west side of the road. In the south, near Hermitage, crews were able to get a direct line along the fire, attacking it aggressively.

Crews continue to prioritize the north and the south sides of the fire to protect the communities of Partington Ridge, Hermitage, and Lucia. The west side of the fire along Highway 1 is the next highest priority as smoldering and rolling material continue to threaten large sections of the highway.

Today, Hot Shot crews will be working from the top and bottom of McWay Ridge to secure the line to the north. The McWay Ridge is the primary control line for the northern area of the fire.

In the southeast, where fire southeasterly spread forced the abandonment of the planned line to Cone Peak, firefighters will be scouting the area for suitable trails or roads to re-engage. The point protection of structures in Hermitage will also be a focus.

Smoke will be visible, especially in the afternoon as the fog lifts. Fire activity will also increase as the marine layer lifts towards the afternoon. Road closures remain in place.

The fire continues to pose a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.

Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is at the highest level, Preparedness Level 5 (PL5). In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently, there are 82 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 2 million acres with over 1.1 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across California and the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.

Carmel Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

River Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Updates and Meetings: Fire Information is producing two daily written updates. To request an update, email 2020.dolan@firenet.gov and provide your email address.

Weather: The marine inversion (around 1200 feet) will once again impact the fire producing morning low clouds and fog across the west flank of the fire. Clear and smoky skies are expected for the afternoon in the west. The eastern sections burn in drier and warmer conditions; sun and smoke is in the forecast. Weather conditions will be monitored closely to adapt and execute an appropriate plan.

Evacuations / Closures: Click here for an interactive map of Monterey County evacuations. For information about state highway closures go to https://roads.dot.ca.gov/

Smoke: The Monterey Bay Air Resources District has issued a Wildfire Air Quality Advisory. When the concentration of smoke has reached UNHEALTHY levels of the AQI, residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. Updates on the current air quality forecast and Air Monitoring data can be found at http://air.mbard.org/.

A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: National Weather Service, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Big Sur Volunteers, Cal Trans, California State Parks, OES, Ventana Wilderness Alliance

Safety Message: This will be a long duration event. Residents in the affected area are encouraged to continue to prepare for the possibility of fire in their area in advance. Go to https://www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn how to prepare.

Smoke Outlook for 8/28 - 8/29

CentralCoast Fires

Issued at: 2020-08-28 08:28 PDT
 

Fire Information

CZU:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czu-lightningcomplex-

including-warnella-fire/

River:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire

Carmel:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmelfire

Dolan:https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018

Smoke

Yesterday saw a little better air quality than the previous day. Similar conditions are expected today due to the presence of

the marine layer. A warming and drying trend is predicted over the next several days into next week. Smoke conditions

throughout the forecast area are predicted to see Good to Very Unhealthy air quality. Intensity of the smoke will continue to

depend on the activity of the fires in and around the forecast area.

Other

Air quality may change unexpectedly. If you begin to notice health effects from smoke, you are encouraged to follow the

"actions to protect yourself" listed below.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020

Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur

Cause: Unknown

Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory

Size: 21,861

Containment: 20%

Injuries: 0

Resources:

Hand Crews: 14
Engines: 74
Dozers: 10
Helicopters: 8
Water Tenders: 25
Total Personnel: 902

Current Situation:

Fire activity picked up today in the afternoon as the marine layer lifted. The fire burned actively, even against beneficial wind and weather, often reacting more to vegetation and topography, than to headwinds. Crews worked to stay ahead of the fire and are prioritizing the north and south sides of the fire to protect threatened communities. Crews continued to work on the McWay ridge on the northside to try to hold the fireline with additional air support. The fire grew along the North Coast Ridge Road, but firefighters are optimistic that with the help of additional crews in the area tomorrow, they can hold the fireline west of the wilderness area. The fire continues to smolder along the east side of Highway 1.

There was significant fire activity in the south today. The fire burned through retardant lines and began to move toward Cone Peak. Crews will be scouting for other options to secure the southward movement of the fire tomorrow. Additionally, fire began burning into a drainage just above Hermitage. The area had been previously prepped for the potential incursion of fire. Firefighters will remain in the area and continue that work tomorrow.

The fire continues to smolder along and threaten Highway 1. Firefighters are monitoring the smolder to prevent impact to telecommunication lines and to keep the fire on the east side of the road. The fire threatens to cross to the west side of Highway 1 either by rolling materials over the road or by burning down one of several drainages/underpasses. Hazards from rolling material persists along the west side of the fire and poses a risk to Highway 1 including vehicles, structures, and apparatuses along the highway.

The fire threatens the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge on the north. Multiple businesses, communications sites, parks, and recreational sites are also threatened. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.

Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is in Preparedness Level 5 (PL5), the highest level. In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently there are 83 large uncontained fires nationwide. Fires have burned over 2 million acres with over 1.1 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across California and the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.

Carmel Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

River Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Updates and Meetings: Fire Information is producing two daily written updates. To request an update, email 2020.dolan@firenet.gov and provide your email address. 

There was a community meeting held yesterday at 2:00 PM that was livestreamed on the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page. That video can also be viewed retroactively on the same Facebook page. Please send any questions to 2020.dolan@firenet.gov.

Weather: The marine inversion (around 1200 feet) will once again impact the fire producing morning low clouds and fog across the west flank of the fire. Otherwise, mostly clear and smokey conditions are expected. The weather will likely be warmer and drier next week. Weather conditions will be monitored closely to adapt and execute an appropriate plan.

Evacuations / Closures: Click here for an interactive map of Monterey County evacuations.

Smoke: The Monterey Bay Air Resources District has issued a Wildfire Air Quality Advisory. When the concentration of smoke has reached UNHEALTHY levels of the AQI, residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. Updates on the current air quality forecast and Air Monitoring data can be found at http://air.mbard.org/.

A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: National Weather Service, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Big Sur Volunteers, Cal Trans, California State Parks, OES, Ventana Wilderness Alliance.

Safety Message: This will be a long duration event. Residents in the affected area are encouraged to continue to prepare for the possibility of fire in their area in advance. Go to https://www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn how to prepare.

ORDER NO. 0507-51-20-16

LOS PADRES NATIONAL FOREST

NACIMIENTO-FERGUSSON ROAD ROADSIDE CAMPING PROHIBITION

Pursuant to 16 U.S.C. 551 and 36 C.F.R. 261.50(a), and to provide for public safety, the following act is prohibited in the Monterey Ranger District within the Los Padres National Forest. This Order is effective from August 27, 2020 through August 26, 2022.

Camping within 300 feet of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road (Forest Road No. 22S01), from its intersection with State Highway 1 then east for 12 miles, as shown on the attached map. 36 C.F.R. 261.58(e).

Pursuant to 36 C.F.R. 261.50(e), the following persons are exempt from this Order:

Any Federal, State or Local Law Enforcement Officer or member of an organized rescue or fire fighting force in the performance of an official duty.
This prohibition is in addition to the general prohibitions in 36 C.F.R. Part 261, Subpart A.

A violation of this prohibition is punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000 for an individual or $10,000 for an organization, or imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. 16 U.S.C. 551 and 18 U.S.C. 3559, 3571, and 3581.

Executed at Goleta, California, this 26th day of August, 2020.

KEVIN B. ELLIOTT
Forest Supervisor
Los Padres National Forest

Aviso Especial
Para obtener información detallada sobre los avisos locales de calidad del aire, consulte los enlaces mas adelante. Hay una advertencia de Bandera Roja por ráfagas de viento y relámpagos secos en efecto hasta las 5:00 pm de hoy.

Incéndios
Fuego CZU: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czulightning-
complex-including-warnella-fire/
Fuego River:
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/
Fuego Carmel:
https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/
Fuego Dolan: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018/

Humo
Las comunidades en la parte norte del área de pronóstico vieron degradarse la calidad de aire con humo del fuego CZU Lightning, debido a los vientos pronosticados del oeste al noroeste y la niebla costera matutina. Hoy se esperan condiciones similares, ya que la niebla costera atrapará el humo cerca de la superficie. Se pronostica que el humo en toda el área de pronóstico provoque una calidad del aire de Moderada a Insalubre. La intensidad del humo seguirá dependiendo de la actividad de los incendios, dentro y alrededor del área de pronóstico.

Más
La calidad del aire puede cambiar inesperadamente. Todo el mundo debería intentar limitar su actividad al aire libre en estas condiciones Insalubres de calidad del aire. Si comienza a notar los efectos del humo en la salud, le recomendamos que siga las "acciones para protegerse" que se enumeran a continuación.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020 Cause: Unknown

Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory

Size: 21,861

Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur

Containment: 15%

Injuries: 0

Total Personnel: 951

Resources:

Hand Crews: 13

Engines: 70

Dozers: 10

Helicopters: 7

Water Tenders: 14

Current Situation:

Last night, crews worked to stay ahead of the fire and are optimistic that the control lines will be successful for protection of the communities. Crews actively monitored the fire progression, particularly north of McWay Ridge, and took advantage of night-time conditions to strategically reinforce control lines and monitor yesterday’s slop-over on the north side of McWay ridge. Crews also worked to reinforce lines on North Coast Ridge as this ridge is critical to holding the fire west of the wilderness region. Crews monitored the creeping and smoldering fire along Highway 1 to prevent impact to telecommunication lines. Firefighters also patrolled Highway 1 as rolling material impacted the highway, potentially presenting hazards to vehicles and apparatuses, as well as potential vectors for spot fires across the road.

Today, fire behavior is expected to be similar to yesterday with increased activity once the marine layer inversion lifts and moisture in the air decreases. The fire will burn actively, primarily responding to topography, even against the wind. Firefighters will be closely monitoring the weather conditions and executing the appropriate plan of action should conditions change. In the south end near Hermitage, crews will continue to build and reinforce indirect containment lines and seek opportunities to pioneer direct lines when safe to do so. More resources have arrived on the fire to assist in both night and day operations.

The threat of fire crossing Hwy 1 still exists through the several drainages/underpasses that hold a high concentration of available fuels, creating a passageway for fire to cross under the hwy onto the west side. Along with this are many telecommunication lines that could be susceptible to fire and potentially impact the hwy. Firefighters will patrol and evaluate these underpasses for a strategic plan to keep the fire from passing through.

The fire is threatening the communities of Hermitage and Lucia on the south, and Partington Ridge on the north. Multiple businesses, communications sites, parks, and recreational sites are also threatened. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.

Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is in Preparedness Level 5 (PL5), the highest level. In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently there are 96 large uncontained fires nationwide with nearly 28,000 firefighters. To date, fires have burned 3.7 million acres with 1.84 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across California and the west.
Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.

Carmel Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

River Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Updates and Meetings: Fire Information is producing two daily written updates. To request an update, email 2020.dolan@firenet.gov and provide your email address.

There was a community meeting held yesterday at 2:00 PM that was livestreamed on the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page. That video can also be viewed retroactively on the same Facebook page. Please send any questions to 2020.dolan@firenet.gov.

Weather: The marine inversion (around 1200 feet) will once again impact the fire producing morning low clouds and fog across the west flank of the fire. Otherwise, mostly clear and smokey conditions are expected.

Evacuations / Closures: Click here for an interactive map of Monterey County evacuations.

Smoke: The Monterey Bay Air Resources District has issued a Wildfire Air Quality Advisory. When the concentration of smoke has reached UNHEALTHY levels of the AQI, residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. Updates on the current air quality forecast and Air Monitoring data can be found at http://air.mbard.org/.

A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: National Weather Service, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Big Sur Volunteers, Cal Trans, California State Parks, OES, Ventana Wilderness Alliance

Safety Message: This will be a long duration event. Residents in the affected area are encouraged to continue to prepare for the possibility of fire in their area in advance. Go to https://www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn how to prepare.

Smoke Outlook for 8/27 - 8/28

Central Coast Fires

Issued at: 2020-08-27 08:21 PDT

Fire Information

CZU:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/czu-lightningcomplex-

including-warnella-fire/

River:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire

Carmel:https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmelfire

Dolan:https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/7018

Smoke

Communities in the northern part of the forecast area saw degraded air quality from the CZU Lightning fire due to

predicted west to northwest winds and coastal morning fog. Similar conditions are expected today as coastal fog will trap ground level smoke. Smoke conditions throughout the forecast area are predicted to see Moderate to Unhealthy air quality.

Intensity of the smoke will continue to depend on the activity of the fires in and around the forecast area.

Other

Air quality may change unexpectedly. Everyone should try and limit their outdoor activity in these unhealthy air quality

conditions. If you begin to notice health effects from smoke, you are encouraged to follow the "actions to protect yourself"  listed below.

Incident Information:

Start / Report Date: Aug. 18, 2020

Cause: Unknown

Location: Hwy 1(MM32.20) N of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles S of Big Sur

Fuels Involved: Chaparral, Brush, Timber understory

Size: 21,861

Containment: 15%

Injuries: 0

Resources:

Hand Crews: 13

Engines: 70

Dozers: 10

Helicopters: 7

Water Tenders: 14

Total Personnel: 951

 Current Situation:

Today, fire activity picked up in the north and east, promoted by weather patterns. The deep marine layer lifted around noon and fuels rapidly dried out. The fire pushed significantly into McWay Ridge, slopping over the ridge approximately 150-200 acres. Crews are working to stay ahead of the fire and are optimistic that the contingency lines will be successful for protection of the community. On the eastern perimeter, the fire has not moved significantly, although the potential for fire growth remains. While crews are monitoring the eastern perimeter, they do not have personnel assigned to the eastern flank. The focus remains on maximizing resources to provide protection to communities on the north and south. The rumored spot fire in Lost Valley was proved to be inaccurate today with a flight over the area. Aerial resources, in conjunction with ground crews, worked on spot fires on the southeast side. On the southern perimeter, crews made good progress in securing direct and indirect lines to keep the fire out of Hermitage, Lucia and Morning Glory. Crews monitored the creeping and smoldering fire along Highway 1 to prevent impact to telecommunication lines. Firefighters also patrolled Highway 1 as rolling material impacted the highway, potentially presenting hazards to vehicles and apparatuses, as well as potential vectors for spot fires across the road.

More resources have arrived on the fire to assist in both night and day operations. Tonight, crews will be actively monitoring the fire progression, particularly north of McWay Ridge. Crews will be taking advantage of night-time conditions to strategically reinforce contingency lines, focusing work on North Coast Ridge Road. This ridge is critical to holding the fire west of the wilderness region. Night operations will be monitoring fire progression and conditions, gathering critical information that will assist the fire operations tomorrow morning.

The fire is threatening the communities of Hermitage and Lucia on the south, and Partington Ridge on the north. Multiple businesses, communications sites, parks, and recreational sites are also threatened. Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed, and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.

Fire activity in the western United States has caused a high demand for fire personnel and equipment. The nation is in Preparedness Level 5 (PL5), the highest level. In PL5 over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents. Currently there are 96 large uncontained fires nationwide with nearly 28,000 firefighters. To date, fires have burned 3.7 million acres with 1.84 million acres burned in California alone. Resource orders are being prioritized to fires across California and the west. Acreage reported here is an estimate and will be updated when IR images are available.

Carmel Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/18/carmel-fire/

River Fire Info: https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2020/8/16/river-fire/

Updates and Meetings: Fire Information is producing two daily written updates. To request an update, email 2020.dolan@firenet.gov and provide your email address. A daily video update will be posted to the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page and Inciweb (See links in header).

There was a community meeting held today at 2:00 PM that was livestreamed on the Los Padres National Forest Facebook page. That video can also be viewed retroactively on the same Facebook page. Please send any questions to 2020.dolan@firenet.gov.

Weather: Tonight’s weather will be under the marine layer influence along the coastal side of the fire with some low clouds and fog. Marine inversion is expected to be around 1200 feet deep.

Evacuations / Closures: Click here for an interactive map of Monterey County evacuations.

Smoke: The Monterey Bay Air Resources District has issued a Wildfire Air Quality Advisory. When the concentration of smoke has reached UNHEALTHY levels of the AQI, residents should limit their activity by staying indoors with the doors and windows closed to avoid breathing smoke. Updates on the current air quality forecast and Air Monitoring data can be found at http://air.mbard.org/.

A!ert Monterey County: To receive emergency notifications regarding evacuations and critical events in Monterey County please sign up for A!ert Monterey County at the following website: https://member.everbridge.net/453003085611217/login.

Cooperating and Assisting Organizations: National Weather Service, California Highway Patrol, Monterey County Sheriff’s Department, Big Sur Volunteers, Cal Trans, California State Parks, OES, Ventana Wilderness Alliance.

Safety Message: This will be a long duration event. Residents in the affected area are encouraged to continue to prepare for the possibility of fire in their area in advance. Go to https://www.ready.gov/wildfires to learn how to prepare.