Timber Fire, Day 30, 9/6, Morning Update

Operational Update Video for September 6th from Los Padres National Forest on Facebook.

Daily Update:

25,357 acres

27% contained

1,227 firefighters assigned

The fire remains in a holding pattern with minimal growth overnight as a result of weeks of aggressive firefighting, and the cool and humid weather patterns of the past few days. Today will begin a warming and drying trend as temperatures rise and humidity lowers, with fire activity and smoke production expected to increase. The cooler weather gave crews a window of opportunity to attack the fire directly with handcrews, aircraft, and heavy machinery, and firefighters will continue to build off of the work that has been done to increase containment and work to extinguish remaining pockets of heat.

On the northwest corner of the fire, firefighters continue to engage any heat directly and focus on mopping up the slopover north of Manuel Peak, where the fire had jumped the original containment line. Aircraft remain engaged in working to keep the fire in its footprint.

On the east side of the fire, from the Ventana Double Cone area to the Black Cone area, aircraft are being utilized to extinguish remaining fire and heat found. This area of the fire is seeing minimal heat because of the sparsely vegetated rocky terrain.

On the southwest side of the fire in the Pick Creek area, rappel crews will be inserted to establish a helispot in order to allow firefighters direct access in the steep rugged terrain where heat is still being identified.

Today will be slightly warmer and drier as the beginning of a more prolonged and significant warming and drying trend develops across the Central Coast. Skies should turn mostly sunny with highs in the 80s around Arroyo Seco, 70s in Big Sur and upper 60s for elevations above 3000 feet. Relative humidity values will lower to around 30-40% this afternoon, which is as low as they have been since the start of the month. Tonight will see light winds out of the Northeast. This will keep RH values moderate overnight into Monday morning with recovery only 40-50% forecast.

Road closures on Highway 1 in the Big Sur area have been reduced. To support Plaskett Fire emergency response efforts, Highway 1 remains closed between Kirk Creek Campground at Mile 19 and Monterey/San Luis Obispo County line at Post Mile 0.0, per Los Padres National Forest on Facebook. (The original post had the closure incorrect. It was changed to what I post here back when the highway to the north was opened.)