Message from your Fire Chief regarding the Timber and Plaskett Fires:

This has been an incredible few weeks for all of us.  I am so impressed with all of you and our community.  You have been inquisitive, patient and resilient and you will need to be for quite a while longer.  The Timber Fire had minimal growth over the last few days aided by an early season cold front that even holds the possibility of precipitation.  The primary containment lines are still being dialed in and it will take many days if not weeks for the fire to reach them.  Crews are going direct where they can to extinguish and mop-up the fire.  Some areas are just too steep and rugged to safely access, as you know, and it is a patience game for either season ending rain or the fire to reach the line.

The Plaskett fire on the other hand has been dynamic and has seen several significant days of growth.  The acreage in fact has now surpassed the Timber Fire.  Due to the size and complexity of both incidents, a second incident management team has been mobilized and assumed command of the Plaskett Fire this morning (CA-CIIMT7).  Our Big Sur Fire resources (2 engines and a water tender) are currently assigned to the Plaskett Fire sharing their local knowledge and helping lead our mutual aid partners into the enclaves of Plaskett Ridge Road, Los Burros Road, Gorda Mountain Road and others to protect structures and extinguish the fire.

As both incidents progress, the incident management teams and I are in constant communication with all agencies involved such as Monterey County Sherriff, CHP, CalTrans, Dept. of Emergency Management, and many more.  We are continually evaluating the situation and looking for opportunities to return life to normal, including reopening the highway.  Right now, things are on track for reopening the northern closure in the Timber Fire area based on the timeline established last week.  There is no timeline for the southern closure.  More information will be provided very soon if/when anything changes.

There is another community meeting tomorrow at 6:00pm at the Mid-Coast Firehouse on Palo Colorado Rd. for those outside the closure area.  Please keep checking our website bigsurfire.org, inciweb, and other apps like Watch Duty or Wildfire Intel for more information.  Thank you for the outpouring of support with food, drinks and other supplies for the firefighters who are all so grateful.  This is going to be an even longer haul than originally thought and we will need your continued and increased support to get through it.

Respectfully,

Matt Harris

Fire Chief

Good Morning:  This will be the last combined Timber and Plaskett Fires Update.  Beginning this evening California Interagency Incident Management Team 7 will be sending out information regarding the Plaskett Fire.

Timber Fire: 25,190 Acres, 22% contained and 2,016 firefighters assigned.

Firefighters on the Timber Fire were aided by overnight humidity recovery near 90% which helped keep fire behavior moderated.

Night crews focused on mop up and active patrol along the Highway 1 corridor, specifically working to extinguish any lingering heat that could threaten the road or structures in the Camp Pfiefer area. To the east, humidity remained as low as 5% at elevations around Chews Ridge and highlights the potential for continued fire spread as conditions allow.

With that potential in mind, firefighters along the northwest corner of the perimeter are focusing on building containment around a slopover from several days ago near Manuel Peak.

Along the northern and eastern edges of the fire, handcrews and heavy equipment are being utilized to connect pieces of completed dozer line from Bixby Mopuntain to Skinner Ridge, east toward Haystack and from Chews Ridge east then south toward Arroyo Seco.

WEATHER: An early season trough of low pressure will bring unseasonably cool temperatures and higher humidity airmass over the Timber and Plaskett Fire tomorrow. This will be one of the coolest days since the fire started with highs mainly in the 60s and struggling to warm into the 70s, even for interior portions of the fire. General winds will continue to be onshore and from the West with gusts to around 15 mph for the exposed ridges along the Coast Ridge Trail. Lower elevations below 2000 feet will continue to see good humidity values that will help with mop-up operations. The air aloft should be cool enough to erode the marine inversion layer with cooler temperatures for the highest elevations above 3000 feet. Skies will be partly cloudy tonight as a weak frontal boundary passes through. The front may generate some very light showers or drizzle overnight into Wednesday morning, especially around Big Sur and the Pfeiffer Camp but amounts would be a few hundredths at most.

ROAD CLOSURES: A hard road closure is in effect on State Route 1: For updates, visit:

https://roads.dot.ca.gov/?roadnumber=1 orhttps://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

EVACUATIONS:

Monterey County has issued evacuation warnings and orders.  View the Interactive Evacuation Page For current information and to sign up for alerts visit Monterey County’sDepartment of Emergency Management website.  

San Luis Obispo County has issued Evacuation Warnings for areas affected by the Plaskett Fire – Visit https://www.readyslo.org/emergency/current-protective-actions/ for additional information.

REVISED FOREST CLOSURE ORDER: The Los Padres National Forest has issued an Area Closure for Forest Service managed lands surrounding the Timber and Plaskett Fires.  Full text of the Closure Order, and Closure Order Map. 

Timber Fire Information

2026.Timber@firenet.gov

(831) 285-7006

Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire

lospadresnationalforest

MontereyCountySheriffsOffice

MontereyCoInfo  

linktr.ee/CAL_FIRE_BEU

Good morning lovely Kate – I hope you and your structures are safe – as you know more than I do that the mail is still unable to get through from anywhere, Monterey, Ragged Point, Nacimiento. So we are keeping it safe and sound and organized down below the Monterey Post Office on the Webster Street side of the building, not the main lobby and retail area, if anyone is likewise trapped on this side and wants to collect their mail. As soon as the road is open to us we’ll have everything delivered that day or the next depending on what hour the road opens. 

I think it was Yogi Berra or another prominent philosopher that said, “This too shall pass” 🤷‍♂️

Also, one challenge we have is the phones. I forwarded the Big Sur phones to me but it didn’t take and now I can’t get back in my office to try programming it again. I hope to get that solved soon. (Helpdesk people are no help at all!)

So, Please don’t call the Monterey office line as their staff do not have any extra Big Sur information up there. 

We are open around the corner on the Webster Street side of the building 8:30 – 4pm 

If tracking numbers are indicating items were delivered in Big Sur after the road closure then they are safe and sound with me, waiting for the road to reopen. 👍

Timber Fire:

Fire information: (831) 285-7006

Fire email: 2026.timber@firenet.gov
Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-plaskett-fire

Location: Southeast of Loma Vista, Monterey County	Size:  25,190 acres
Start date: August 8, 2026	Percent contained: 21%
Personnel Assigned:2,016 Firefighters	Cause: Under investigation

Plaskett Fire:

Location: East of Plaskett, Monterey County	Size:  26,734 acres
Start date: August 26, 2026	Percent contained: 1%
Personnel Assigned: 955 Firefighters	Cause: Under investigation

Timber Fire: 25,190 Acres, 22% contained and 2,016 firefighters assigned.

The Timber Fire saw more moderated fire behavior and is currently 25,190 acres with 22% containment.

Firefighters worked to strengthen existing control lines and actively mop up along the Highway 1 corridor as well as suppression repair activities from Pfiefer Camp south.

 Resources are connecting completed dozer line in all other areas of the fire to minimize the inland spread as much as possible.

Weather conditions are forecast to become more favorable moving through the weak as a unseasonable cool front moves into the area. While temperatures will drop, it will remain relatively dry with no significant precipitation in the forecast and humidities in the 30 to 35% range.

Plaskett Fire:  26,734 Acres, 1% Contained and 955 firefighters assigned.

The Plaskett Fire showed continued aggressive growth throughout the day today and now sits at 26,734 acres and 1% contained.

The growth was primarily along the eastern perimeter as the fire continues to push deeper into Fort Hunter Liggett in areas that have not seen fire in more than 50 years. Steep terrain and thick fuels remain the primary driver of fire behavior.

Crews made great progress along the northern edge of the Plaskett using strategic firing operations to help check the fire’s progress along the Slick Rock road system from San Miguel Creek east to Slickrock Creek.

Aerial resources were in heavy use along the southern edge to help slow the fire’s progress along Los Burros Road as firefighters continued structure defense operations.

Tonight’s operations will be a continuation of structure defense and protection measures with plans in place to hold the fire in the Willow Creek drainage to the south.

WEATHER: An early season trough of low pressure will bring unseasonably cool temperatures and higher humidity airmass over the Timber and Plaskett Fires tomorrow. This will be one of the coolest days since the fire started with highs mainly in the 60s and struggling to warm into the 70s, even for interior portions of the fire. General winds will continue to be onshore and from the West with gusts to around 15 mph for the exposed ridges along the Coast Ridge Trail. Lower elevations below 2000 feet will continue to see good humidity values that will help with mop-up operations. The air aloft should be cool enough to erode the marine inversion layer with cooler temperatures for the highest elevations above 3000 feet. Skies will be partly cloudy tonight as a weak frontal boundary passes through. The front may generate some very light showers or drizzle overnight into Wednesday morning, especially around Big Sur and the Pfeiffer Camp but amounts would be a few hundredths at most.

ROAD CLOSURES: A hard road closure is in effect on State Route 1: For updates, visit:

https://roads.dot.ca.gov/?roadnumber=1 orhttps://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

EVACUATIONS:

Monterey County has issued evacuation warnings and orders.  View the Interactive Evacuation Page For current information and to sign up for alerts visit Monterey County’sDepartment of Emergency Management website.  

San Luis Obispo County has issued Evacuation Warnings for areas affected by the Plaskett Fire – Visit https://www.readyslo.org/emergency/current-protective-actions/ for additional information.

REVISED FOREST CLOSURE ORDER: The Los Padres National Forest has issued an Area Closure for Forest Service managed lands surrounding the Timber and Plaskett Fires.  Full text of the Closure Order, and Closure Order Map. 

Timber Fire Information

2026.Timber@firenet.gov

(831) 285-7006

Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire

lospadresnationalforest

MontereyCountySheriffsOffice

MontereyCoInfo  

linktr.ee/CAL_FIRE_BEU

This afternoon Cal Fire flew the Plaskett Fire and their intel plane puts it at 26,754 acres a significant increase in size in the 24 hours.

They lit off the backburn about 4 hrs ago (about 10 am).  I went up to Prewitt and spoke with a few dozer operators.  The had high confidence the containment line from SCRRoad, Prewitt and from Prewitt to HWY1  would hold.  Looking East towards FHL and S towards Plaskett looked well under control.  The temp was mid 60’s with fog coming up the slopes of Prewitt.

1-Firefighting crew trucks at Prewitt Camp.

2-SCRRoad from Alms looking over the Knoch area towards Chaulk Peak and FHL.

Timber, CA Wildfire Overview  - 				31	August	2026									
									c.	0900 UTC						
Weather Conditions -  															
The vicinity of the fire was cloud free.															
															
Details -															
The interpreters were able to designate the fire perimeter and isolated fires with no difficulty.															
Small areas of creeping growth were noted along the northwest and southeast corners of the perimeter.															
Small areas of intense fire were detected along the northwest and southeast corners on the edges of the fire.															
Large areasof scattered fire were detected throughout of the fire.															
Isolated fires were generally within fairly close proximity to the main perimeters.															
The fire within the perimeter was fairly widely scattered.															
															
															
Acreage -															
Starting Perimeter Source -					Incident/NIFC											
Starting Perimeter Date/Time -				08	AUg	2026		0113	UTC						
															
Estimated Acreage: 24,970 															
Acreage Change (if any): +243  

Plaskett, CA Wildfire Overview  - 			31	August	2026									
								c.	0900 UTC						
Weather Conditions -  															
Heavy cloud cover was present across the southwestern 20% of the fire.															
															
Details -															
Heavy clouds were present over the southwestern 20% of the fire. The perimeter in that area is indicated as estimated.															
Weather conditions had a severe effect upon analysis.															
No data was received for the eastern and southeastern edges of the fire. The perimeter in that area is indicated as estimated.															
Very large areas of growth with intense fire were detected along the northern, eastern, and southern portions of the perimeter.															
Very large areas of intense fire were detected within the southeastern portion of the perimeter.															
Very large areas of scattered fire were detected within the central and northeastern portions of the perimeter.															
															
Acreage -															
Starting Perimeter Source -				Incident/NIFC											
Starting Perimeter Date/Time -			31	August	2026		0200	UTC						
															
Estimated Acreage: 23,396															
Acreage Change (if any): +7,918 

(early this am and aerial scanner broadcast by a pilot said the Plaskett fire front was 4-5 miles wide)

Monday (8/31/26) Morning Update: The Timber Fire remains most active on the back side of the Cabezo Prieto Ridge near the Big Sur Valley. Heat detections suggest it may have crossed the South Fork of the Little Sur River in this area. If so, it is now poised to climb Launtz Ridge. From the top of Launtz Ridge it would overlook the North Fork of the Little Sur and the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp area.

Three new heat detections have appeared in the “Round Rock Creek” drainage (in the upper Carmel River watershed near the Ventana Double Cone) and fire could be seen actively burning in this area overnight.

The fire also appears to have become more active along the North Fork of the Big Sur River. This fire has reached the lower slopes of Black Cone and could run up it at any time. From the top of Black Cone, the fire would overlook Tassajara Creek and the Zen monastery (although it would have a lot of descending to do to get there).

The Plaskett Fire, meanwhile, has run north out of the Prewitt Creek drainage and into the Wild Cattle and Mill Creek watersheds and south into the Villa Creek watershed.

East of the Coast Ridge, it has run across Ft. Hunter Liggett nearly all the way to the Nacimiento River and south to a position just behind the Salmon Creek drainage.

Keith Vandevere, I have to say, I so appreciate your extensive knowledge of the Big Sur landscape. You provide more useful information than just about anybody! Thank you for sharing that with all of us.

Timber Fire:

Fire information: (831) 285-7006

Fire email: 2026.timber@firenet.gov
Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire

https://inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-plaskett-fire

Location: Southeast of Loma Vista, Monterey County	Size:  24,970 acres
Start date: August 8, 2026	Percent contained: 21%
Personnel Assigned:2,334 Firefighters	Cause: Under investigation

Plaskett Fire:

Location: East of Plaskett, Monterey County	Size:  15,478 acres
Start date: August 26, 2026	Percent contained: 1%
Personnel Assigned: 897 Firefighters	Cause: Under investigation

Timber Fire: 24,970 Acres, 21% contained and 2,334 firefighters assigned.

The Timber Fire remains active with moderate growth. Night shift crews worked to reinforce control lines and keep the fire in current containment lines.

Today’s priorities will be to contain the slop-over at Juan Miguel Creek north of Manuel Peak and connecting pieces of completed dozer and handline north toward Skinner Ridge and East toward Chews Ridge. Mop up and active patrolling continues along Highway 1 and communities along Big Sur.

Plaskett Fire:  15,478 Acres, 1% Contained and 897 firefighters assigned.

Crews worked aggressively throughout the night as the Plaskett Fire nearly doubled in size in the past 24 hours because of steady winds and thick vegetation with no fire history in the past 50 years.

The fire grew on all fronts, pushing north toward Prewitt Creek where firefighters worked stay ahead of the advancing front and conduct tactical firing operations from near San Miguel Creek along Prewitt Loop. Dozer line is in place to the north.

The fire pushed east onto Fort Hunter Liggett, near Anthony Creek and is more than a mile past South Coast Road.

Along the southern edge, crews conducted firing operations and implemented structure protection measures along Los Burro Road as the fire moved into Alder Creek.

The western edge of the fire backed downhill toward Highway 1 in the Pacific Valley/Sand Dollar Beach area.

Today’s efforts will continue to focus on structure protection and firing operations as conditions allow while seeking opportunity to go as direct as possible along the fire’s edge.

WEATHER:

Timber Fire location, winds will continue coming from the west, keeping humidity higher, especially below 2000 feet near Big Sur Village. Areas above 2000 feet will finally see some improvement, with humidity rising compared to recent days. Overall winds will stay onshore, with gusts up to 15 mph on the ridgetops, while lower‑slope winds will stay light at under 8 mph. Inland skies will be sunny, and coastal clouds will linger along the immediate shoreline this morning.

The Plaskett Fire region will stay covered by smoke, which will keep temperatures a bit cooler and slightly increase humidity. Light southwest winds are expected, and slope winds along Los Burros Road will work against the fire line.

ROAD CLOSURES AND: A hard road closure is in effect on State Route 1: For updates, visit:

https://roads.dot.ca.gov/?roadnumber=1 or https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/

EVACUATIONS

Monterey County has issued evacuation warnings and orders.  View the Interactive Evacuation Page For current information and to sign up for alerts visit Monterey County’sDepartment of Emergency Management website.  

San Luis Obispo County has issued Evacuation Warnings for areas affected by the Plaskett Fire – Visit https://www.readyslo.org/emergency/current-protective-actions/ for additional information.

REVISED FOREST CLOSURE ORDER: The Los Padres National Forest has issued an Area Closure for Forest Service managed lands surrounding the Timber and Plaskett Fires.  Full text of the Closure Order, and Closure Order Map. 

For current highway and evacuation information, visit Ready Monterey County:

http://alertmry.org/alerts or   http://alertmry.org/map

Timber Fire Information

2026.Timber@firenet.gov

(831) 285-7006

Website: inciweb.wildfire.gov/incident-information/calpf-timber-fire

lospadresnationalforest

MontereyCountySheriffsOffice

MontereyCoInfo  

linktr.ee/CAL_FIRE_BEU