Today from Carmel Valley Road at noon two miles north of Arroyo Seco Rd. looking west. Photos; Mike Morales
BLM engine and crew staging on Carmel Valley Rd. The crew is from Susanville/Modoc.
Retardant line in Arroyo Seco extend down to the road. Fire at 1:30 was visible on the peak in the distance.
Photo by Vanessa Radley from her backyard in the Arroyo Seco area taken yesterday.
Photo by Ed Mellinger from Carmel Valley Village looking SW
Today’s plume from Bruce Dormondy:
From Howard Jones this am, from east CVR as well as near the Miller Ranch:
Thank you, Howdy !
Smoke from this fire making it’s way into Bakersfield this morning.
Top Picture … two critters in smoke … birds on its nest to the right with his round eared friend to the left sitting up like the ground hog
Scotts Valley was smoky yesterday as well. Strong smell of burning Earth.
Urgent – fire weather message
national weather service san francisco ca
1240 pm pdt tue sep 20 2016
…Dry cold frontal passage to bring strong northwest winds to
the Soberanes fire…
.A dry cold front will reach Monterey county starting Wednesday
afternoon. Typical afternoon onshore winds will start to be
enhanced as the front approaches. The strongest winds will occur
overnight Wednesday into Thursday. The strongest winds will be
over the ridges above 3000 feet near Chews ridge and Tassajara
road where gusts from 35-40 mph will be common by Thursday
morning. Strong and gusty northerly ridge top winds will continue
through the day Thursday before gradually diminishing Thursday
evening. Even though temperatures will be cool with slightly
higher humidity on Thursday…Winds of this magnitude will create
critical fire weather conditions.
Not good news on the upcoming winds…lines will be tested for sure.
here in Capitola, it’s been fresh smelling though it’s kind of gotten that “gold glow we got used to.” When in Salinas yesterday, we could smell the smoke big-time near Boronda Road with the windows open in the car. Our Lions Club has been a big presence in Marina in the past helping house folks and all, not sure what is being done now but we were the only authorized group of it’s kind to do this. Now that things are continuing, I am hoping the work continues, we housed and gave out around 75K, it went fast of course and the people that our club met I hear have been phenomenal. I am praying for rain, I’m doing a rain dance! At least some, to put out the fire but not cause erosion.
Jane, that comment contains so much good. Your Lions Club is incredible.
This is a monster. It certainly has to be shut down, and many are sacrificing on many levels along the way. Let’s not lose resolve to find a reasonable balance between public access and enjoyment of a precious treasure and the need to preserve what was and hopefully will be for the future. That discussion is likely postponed until after this horribly destructive event has ended, but I trust the dialogue to continue. Thank you, Kate, you are a gem.
Sunday was the most smoke filled that I can remember here in Carmel Valley. I have been photographing active fire in Carmel Valley from the Laureles grade. On Sunday I saw no fire suppression activity. No tankers, no helicopters no fire engines. Where only three weeks ago the entire valley was full of activity. Once again, has incident command changed again? Who is in charge?
I knew from the very start this fire would be one of the biggest fires in Big Sur history. Big Sur encompasses all of Ventana wilderness within the Los Padres National Forest. So much of it is an accessible and treacherous for fire suppression. I was just told today that it is already the most expensive wildland fire in American history. It is the second most destructive in area next to the Marble Cone Fire of 1977.
Mike: thank you so much, I will pass this over to those who are working hard down there. Yep, this Club is amazing for sure. Lots of handy helpers who are quietly working behind the scenes on so many things all the time without much notice or credit on so many fronts but they do affect so many lives positively. Your warm comments bring happy tears to my eyes, thank you!