Wednesday (8/26/26) Morning Update: The Timber Fire ran northwest out of Ventana Creek shortly after sunset last night, crossing into the headwaters of the South Fork Little Sur River. While the fire is centered over the Big Sur River watershed, it is now getting established in both the Carmel and Little Sur watersheds as well.
On the west, an active fire front now stretches from the base of Mt. Manuel (on Ventana Creek) north through Doolan’s Hole and all the way to the Little Sur side of the ridge. This means runs to the top of Mt. Manuel and the Cabezo Prieto Ridge could happen at any time – likely causing renewed evacuation orders in the Big Sur Valley.
The far northern end of the fire continues slowly backing down into the Carmel River watershed near the Ventana Double Cone, mainly in a drainage sometimes unofficially called Round Rock Creek, since it enters the Carmel River near Round Rock camp.
The eastern side of the fire has still not made any runs up to Pine Ridge or the South Ventana Cone. This could happen at any time, as these are steep, brush covered slopes. Instead, it has continued to flank to the east along the lower slopes.
Fire has also remained quite active, and has continued moving east, on the ridge between the North and South Forks of the Big Sur River. It now seems certain that the entire Big Sur watershed will burn – not a great scenario heading into an El Niño winter.
The southern end of the fire has also remained active, becoming better established in Pick Valley, and moving into a position where it will be able to run west at the Coast Ridge. Firefighters have been preparing for days to prevent it from recrossing the Coast Ridge in this area.
Thank you Kate for reposting Keith’s analysis. Always clear and concise.
I remember very well his reporting on the Soberanes fire. It was invaluable.
This just makes my whole being hurt.
Thanks
one of my biggest regrets= no one is dialing in arson suspects ! No lightening strikes, no arrests for illegal party burns..no chatter about a Coast Ridge local or out of towner party..As I left the Mtry-Peninsula one month ago, I passed 3 Jeeps heading south, CB attennas, trailers of gear, diffinitely out of towners heading to Sur….Point Lobos visitors parked cars lined from Highlands Station to Monestary Beach to school house. My verdict…halt all future touristy national/international advertising..no more cash contribution by chamber of commerce groups to bolster Conte’ Nast, Sunset Magazine, etc..to bring more pot bellied drinkers to Nepenthe’s Patio..so that the end of day revenue reaches ➡75 thousand dollars!!➡.which is what the owners recently bemoaned about while speaking to reporters as to how the fire and roads delays were effecting biz…Turn the clocks back…end traffic jams, idiots double parking at Bixby in order to self photo…Set a daily visitation by reservation ceiling for all parks..especially Point Lobos. Force parks to place a parking lot opposite main gate so the highway isnt littered with 150 cars. Same for Carmel River State Beach…that scene is horrible..2 broken down latrines..with flooded floors, sand 1 ft. deep to the latrines..blockig wheelchair access..that in itself has been going on for over 2 years! Our parks have been monsterly failures…just look at the scene at the parking lot and administration building for the former Rancho Canyata golf course…which has been turned into a lugurative party concession.