The Soberanes Fire began July 22, 2016, at 8:48 a.m. The fire is approximately 38,007 acres and remains at 15% containment as of this morning. Full containment is expected August 31. The fire is in Unified Command between the U.S. Forest Service and Cal Fire Incident Management Team 4.
The fire continues to burn in steep, rugged and inaccessible terrain. Warm and dry conditions will continue. The fire remained moderate overnight. A state of emergency has been declared by the Governor. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Approximately 5,343 personnel are assigned to the incident, including 546 engines, 103 hand crews, 71 dozers, 46 water tenders, 16 helicopters and six air tankers.
Fifty-seven homes and 11 outbuildings have been destroyed in the fire, and there are currently 2000 structures threatened. Evacuation orders have been lifted for Riley Ranch Road, Red Wolf Drive, Corona Road, and all of Carmel Highlands. Evacuation orders remain in place for a number of areas adjacent to the active firelines, and evacuation warnings are in place for communities in proximity to the fire. An evacuation center has been established at Carmel Middle School. All California State Parks from Point Lobos State Natural Reserve through Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park are closed until further notice.
A Forest closure order is in place for the northern Monterey Ranger District that prohibits public entry. The closure order has been extended south to the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road and additional law enforcement capacity is actively enforcing the order.
For the latest on the Soberanes Fire, visit http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4888/.
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Andrew Madsen
Public Affairs Officer
Forest Service
Los Padres National Forest
p: 805-961-5759
f: 805-961-5729
andrewmadsen@fs.fed.us
6750 Navigator Way, Suite 150
Goleta, CA 93117
http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf
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“The closure order has been extended south to the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road”
I called Andrew Madsen to clarify if the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road itself is to be closed. He checked and responded that the road is to remain open. They are not planning to to close the road… at this time.
As a Carmel Valley resident, I’m so grateful for your timely reporting on the Soberanes Fire. Thank you!
It would be nice if the USFS would post notices like this, in a timely manner, to their website! So far it is not there.
Also, amazing that they are still on level 3 fire restrictions which allows campfires in campgrounds. Including remote ones like Escondido (no phone reception and where the Indians Fire started) and White Oak which till this order were still open. Even with this order fires are still allowed at Nacimiento and Ponderosa. Go figure??
Jon, you won’t get any argument from me there. I have been sending emails since they first closed the section that they should close the whole forest. They are ignoring me.