5:30 pm – I apologize for being missing in action for most of the day. An unbelievable fire storm called the Blue Cut Fire closed down I 15 in both directions as well as 138, and possibly some others. It grew 8 miles and 6500 acres in 6 hours. Major threat to life and property. My elderly aunt and uncle are down there and I have been following this fire, while still keeping an eye on Soberanes and Chimney (barely). I will post more on Soberanes as the information becomes available, but in the mean time, I urge you to share your first hand knowledge with each other in the comments section,
11:30 am – Community meeting tonight at 6 at the MAF. As a side note, per the evacuation orders and warnings notice I just got, this is in the mandatory evacuation order corridor.😋
11:00 am – clarification and changes in the evacuation orders and warnings just issued and posted separately. East side of Highway One from Andrew Molera to Ventana still under orders. This would include Captain Cooper School, cabins at River Inn, Blaze Engineering, Ripplewood, Glen Oaks, and the State Park, as well as individual homes on that side of the road.
10:30 am – very little information coming in about this fire at the moment, but on the South Coast eyes are turning toward the Chimney Fire as it marches west and north. The Soberanes firing operations are going very well, and reports are they have reached Lauffer Canyon with their efforts. Plan is to continue ahead of the fire burning southward.
6:45 am – The road opened as planned at midnight last night. The day is starting with no wind, cooler temps, and an overcast sky. All good for both fires. I have started a second Chimney Fire thread below the maps, etc. and will be adding to it throughout the day as I will this one.
thank you KAte… you amaze me every day!
Good Morning Kate, not for posting, just a heads up, I think you need to bump the date on this blog entry.
Thanks, Mike. Done.
bigsurkate
Love and gratitude for your good work Kate, thanks again!
Yesterday’s backburn between Timber Top and Partington was nerve-wracking, with all the helicopters and smoke plumes, and this morning it’s as if the fire is completely asleep. Success, I guess.
Nice to hear, Heidi, about today. I can only imagine how much everyone’s nerves were on edge.
bigsurkate
Glad you’re OK Heidi. The IR map from 2:28 AM shows the burn as far S as Timber top/Lafler cyn. Looks like they have yet to do Torre and Partington. Did you hike up and see flames above you?
Thanks Kate. After reading this blog for the past 25 days, I feel like I have gotten to know you and everyone else affected by the fire. I do have a question: Does anyone know anything about the status of the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp? For the first couple of weeks, it looked like the fire was missing the camp (and I heard that a number of firefighters were stationed there to protect it), but the more recent maps seem to show no temperature-related carve-out for that area. Makes me worry about what is happening there.
I saw a photo of the camp after the fire went through. There was some damage to the campground, but not to the buildings, I understand.
bigsurkate
I want to thank everyone who signed the petition on Change.org (link follows my comment) and encourage others to do the same so this petition can reach it’s goal. I’m copying and pasting my comment from Day 24 of Local Reports for the back story of this petition.
The petition is to give Cal Fire personnel proper wages above minimum wage, days of work and benefits comparable to city firefighters. Apparently there’s a huge difference of 33% – 89.3% btw the 2. There’s also a table showing differences in the Monterey Co. Weekly on page 19 of 8/11-17 edition. These people deserve to be compensated on a level that can be a living wage and support their families, even when they don’t get to enjoy being with their families while they save our communities. It’s the least we can do for them.
https://www.change.org/p/cal-fire-pay-parity-work-hours-consistent-with-industry-standards-sufficient-disability-benefits-for-cal-fire-firefighters
Then you can tell a Cal Fire FF you signed the petition and if they don’t know about it you can inform them. It would probably make their day!
Kate you rock! Thank you so much for your professionalism and diligence! Any word on the trees taken down that endangered power lines? Any of the reds sycamores etc along Hwy 1?
Hopefully someone else can answer this, as I have not seen it. I doubt the Sycamores would be harmed, as most are on the west side of the highway,.
Does anyone have news about the houses on North Coast Ridge Rd., in Soaring’s area? My heart goes out to all of you – your lives physically and emotionally saturated by fire.
From what I can tell, and from what I have heard, they are all fine, and the firing operations have been a success. Not a paricularly fun experience, but all is well, and it is almost over, I believe.
Thank You everyone this is the best info out there you guys are the best.
Hi Erin, I am only familiar with one Sycamore in the Santa Lucia’s that is native. Here is a link to our native Sycamore: http://www.stevenkharper.com/sycamore.html
I am not sure what you are referring to when you say “reds sycamores” unless it is an introduced tree.
I took her to mean redwoods and sycamores, with iPhone abbreviations due to fat thumbs. I write as few words as I can on my iPhone.
bigsurkate
Kate…I just came on and on reading your comment about the Blue Cut Fire, I went to #BlueCutFire on Twitter, and saw some really intense photos. I hope your relatives are safe…let us know when you do if you would. I’ll be thinking of them and all the others in that fire and in ALL the awful fires going on out there now. Terrible. Hang in there and take good care of yourself.
Bless Your Heart, Kate — yet another fire for you to be concerned with, particularly since your elderly relatives are there. I pray that they will be safe and that You will be able to get some rest.
Thanks, Terry. This past week hasn’t taken the toll as the first 3, so I am okay, plus I am learning to carve some down time into each evening with a glass of wine.
bigsurkate
That Blue Cut fire is some other worldly kind of beast!
Kate, I hope your people are safe💗
Thanks Again and Again for all that You do for this community (which goes WAY further than the Big Sur Boundaries)
Luv U Girl🌊🔥🌊