Fire in Tassajara?

8:00 pm – the USFS lowered their estimate to 200-250 acres, per inciweb. If you know how to use inciweb, this is incident 3522.

5:00 pm – per USFS, 500 acres and 0% containment. I have a satellite map sent to me by
Kelly O’Brien of KUSP, and a resident of Jamesburg. It is about 1/3 of the way from the Zen Center to Chews Ridge, which is where my reader’s photo was taken. For perspective, itis about 12 miles due East of Big Sur’s Ventana Inn. IF my Internet ever cooperates tonight, I will get them up.

4:00 pm – major smoke visible behind Cone Peak. I have a photo, as well as a photo from a reader who is closer, but haven’t been able to either download or upload. Having trouble with my email, for some reason, natch. Not happy!

3:15 pm – smoke visible in Salinas Valley, per one commentator below. As he says, not a good sign.

2:45 pm – it is just north of the Zen Center and only 5 acres at this point, but trying to keep out of the river bed. If it gets into the river bed greater potential to spread, per Cal Fire. Aircraft are on it.

2:30 – LPNF WildCAD posted this, then stopped working at 1:38 –

07/17/2013 13:09 LPF-2176 Tassajara Smoke Check Tassajara Hot Springs . 7EDW1 BC11LPF CRW1LPF CRW4LPF DIV1LPF E16LPF 4X4 E17LPF E19LPF E338LPF 4X E37LPF E41LPF HEL527LPF HEL528LPF PAT17LPF F PAT18LPF F WT4LPF . . .

So the helicopters I heard might have been theirs. This indicates a “smoke check.” I have inquiries out, so will see what info I can get. As we are so aware, from the Basin Complex of 2008, Tassajara is Big Sur’s backyard.

2:00 pm – scanner traffic indicating a fire in Tassajara, and fire trucks from Big Sur seen heading out. I can hear helicopters, but don’t know if it is connected. Will continue to try to find additional Information.