CALTRANS DISTRICT 5 SIGALERT

    Date/Time:  Wednesday, August 19 at 8:53 AM 

      Location:    Highway 1 near Big Sur in Monterey County.

Description of Incident

     Highway 1 is closed from Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County to Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Monterey County due to a brush fire.

 Motorists may use US Highway 101 for north/south thru travel.

Motorists should be aware of law enforcement and other emergency responders, including Caltrans in this area.

It is not known when Highway 1 in this area will re-open.

CHP Traffic Incident Information Page: http://cad.chp.ca.gov

 

7:35 PM Sheriff Scanner (unconfirmed): Sheriff Rescue will be moving to Los Tulares for evacuation warning (this must be for the River Fire). Stone Pine for Carmel Fire.

Carmel Fire – Evacuation Order for Cachagua Road north to Klondike Canyon Road on East Carmel Valley Road to include Klondike Canyon Road, and all roads and communities north east and south west of East Carmel Valley Road: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order from Cachagua Road north to Klondike Canyon Road on East Carmel Valley Road to include Klondike Canyon Road, and all roads and communities north east and south west of East Carmel Valley Road. Leave the area immediately.

7:25 PM Sheriff Scanner (unconfirmed): Sheriff Rescue will be moving to Sleepy Hollow  for evacuation warning (this must be for the Carmel Fire from Buck Mountain direction). Sheriff Rescue anticipates a long night.

Update 6:52 pm: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation warning for areas west of River Road extending to Carmel Valley Road. West of River Road south from Gonzales River Road to Puma Road. East of Carmel Valley Road from south of Tassajara Road to Finch Creek.

10:40 PM Infrared Map Outline from today’s fire in Cachagua:

Click here for a more detailed image: Carmel Fire Outline 08192020 and Carmel Fire Outline 2 08192020

Evacuation Map as of 8:10 PM:

Updated Evacuation Map can be found here:

(Red is Order, Yellow is Warning)

CalFire Update 7:00 PM: Carmel Fire at 2,150 Acres, 0% contained.

6:55 PM Sheriff Scanner (unconfirmed): Sheriff Rescue will be moving to the Village Ranches/ Klondike Canyon for evacuation warning (this must be for River Fire).

5:15 PM Sheriff Scanner (unconfirmed): Fire running up a drainage towards Summerhill, Fire is burning past Trampa Canyon, and likely to Tassajara Road.

7:00 PM from above Stonepine:

Carmel Fire – Evacuation Order for Cachagua Rd, Tassajara Rd, and East of Carmel Valley Rd 2:13 PM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Order for the following areas: Cahcagua Road from Asoledo Drive to Tassajara Road to include Trampa Canyon Road and tributaries. Areas West of Tassajara Road to Miller Canyon not including Miller Canyon. Tassajara Road from Miller Canyon to East Carmel Valley Road to include Chew’s Ridge, Kincannon Road, Lambert Flat, Parrot Ranch Road and tributaries. Tassajara Road west to Miller Canyon not including Miller Canyon. Areas east of East Carmel Valley Road at Tassajara Road to Cahoon Ranch Road to include Martin Road and Cahoon Ranch Road. Leave the area immediately.

7:30 PM Google Earth with VIIRS satellite imagery looking towards East Carmel Valley:

7:15 PM Google Earth with VIIRS satellite imagery looking towards Buck Mountain and Old San Clemente Dam:

2PM Media Update (starts at 1:30):

2:15 PM: Fire made a big push up a drainage, they’re “loosing structures” at Sky Ranch.

2:05 PM: Asoleado area, a couple of structures are engulfed in flames. One Sheriff Rescue is blocked by fire. Also, Fire (River?) went through White Mountain at Ardeas Grade, and East to Sheep Camp.

1:15 PM: Reports that Carmel Middle School will shelter evacuees for Carmel and River fires.

Per Sheriff Scanner (unconfirmed) 1:13 PM: Requesting CHP for hard closure at CV Road and Tassajara. Active fire at Comsat. Asoleado evacuations underway.

Cachagua Fire Department Update:

12:36 pm: crews are addressing active fire near Asoleado with potential for Trampa Canyon. Structure protection crews are being deployed.

1:02 pm. Some concern is being expressed for active fire in the Asoleado area with potential to impact Trampa Canyon. We are monitoring the situation closely.

**CORRECTED** Carmel Fire – Evacuation Orders Overnight  12:12 PM Due to the dynamic situation of the Carmel Fire, Deputies issued an evacuation order of Zone 3 and a portion of Zone 4. Community members were notified in person during the night time hours. The evacuation orders are as follows: Zone 3: Cachagua Road from Summerhill Road to Asoleado Road to include Asoleado Road and all tributaries, Comstat Road, Nason Road and all tributaries south to Los Padres Reservoir. EVACUATION ORDER

Bruce Dormody sent his brother Eric this photo around 2PM, showing the Carmel Fire (on the Left) going down towards the Old San Clemente Dam.

6:15 PM Update: Additional VIIRS and MODIS satellite detection from Google Earth. Infrared Plane spotted doing patterns over the fire areas. As always, there could be false satellite readings. See Important caveats note below.

2:10 PM Update: River Fire East looks like it’s encroaching (unconfirmed) on Carmel Valley Road at Tassajara Road, Also, the two heads of the River Fire East seem to be merging together. Note: this could be false satellite readings. See Important caveats note below.

 

 

Carmel Fire update (at 1:45) video from CalFire can be found here 10:30 AM:

Spanish here:

From Happy Girl Kitchen Co. at 7:30 AM:

From Jack Galante at 7AM:

 

Visibility from above Stonepine at 10AM:

Air quality now considered Hazardous in Carmel Valley Village:

Carmel Fire 8-19-20 8:10 AM Update:

 

Carmel Fire showing the latest VIIRS satellite detections as of 8:10 AM:

National interagency Fire Center Map can be found here: https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/EditLayerSatelliteFireDetections/36.4461/-121.7205/13

Important caveats: Please note that the squares on the heat detection maps represent the expected margin of error, not the size of the area burned. In other words, the detection could have come from anywhere within the square. Also be aware that false detections do sometimes occur. An outlying or “over the line” heat detection is not, by itself, a confirmation that there is fire in the area indicated. In addition, the satellites do not detect heat everywhere that fire exists. Creeping, backing or smoldering fire is often not detected. Finally, the detections are only snapshots of moments in time. Flare ups that occur before or after a satellite pass may be entirely missed.

Operations Map link here:

 

Briefing Map here:

 

Post will be updated with more info.

River Fire – Evacuation Order for all areas of San Benancio Rd between Troy Ln and Coral De Cielo Rd 7:23 PM:

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has changed the Evacuation Warning to an Evacuation Order for all areas of San Benancio Rd between Troy Ln and Coral De Cielo Rd, to include Coral De Cielo Rd, Tiera Vista Ln, and Lucy Ln. Leave the area immediately. Evacuate west on San Benancio Rd to Highway 68.

River Fire – Evacuation Warning for areas west of River Road extending east to Carmel Valley Road and south from Gonzales river Road to Puma Road. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation warning for areas west of River Road extending to Carmel Valley Road. West of River Road south from Gonzales River Road to Puma Road. East of Carmel Valley Road from south of Tassajara Road to Finch Creek.

Updated Evacuation Map can be found here:

(Red is Order, Yellow is Warning)

2PM Media Update (starts at 1:30):

 

1:15 PM: Reports that Carmel Middle School will shelter evacuees for Carmel and River fires.

River Fire update video from CalFire can be found here 10:30 AM:

Spanish here:

River Fire – Evacuation Order for Las Palmas Parkway, Ranchito Drive, Indian Springs Road, Berry Drive, Enos Drive, Redding Drive, and Belmont Circle 11:09 AM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has changed the Evacuation Warning to an Evacuation Order for the following areas: South of River Road from Tara Drive to Pine Canyon Road to include all roads off of: Las Palmas Parkway, Ranchito Drive, Indian Springs Road, Berry Drive, Enos Drive, Redding Drive, and Belmont Circle. Leave the area immediately. Evacuate to River Road. 

 

River Fire – Evacuation Warning for North of Highway 68 from San Benancio Road east to include all Roads off of Portola Drive to Veronica Drive/Estoque Place 10:43 AM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for areas North of Highway 68 from San Benancio Road east to include all Roads off of Portola Drive to Veronica Drive/Estoque Place. 

River Fire – Evacuation Order 10:04 AM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has changed the Evacuation Warning to an Evacuation Order for the following areas: Communities within the north of San Benancio Rd, West of Troy Lane, Southeast of Harper Canyon Rd to include Harper Canyon Road, Weather Rock Way, Rimrock Canyon Road. Leave the area immediately. Evacuate north on San Benancio Rd to Highway 68.

Per Scanner Traffic (unconfirmed) 10:10 AM: Possible evacuations for Harper Canyon

 

River Fire 8-19-20 8 AM Update

#RiverFire off Pine Canyon and River Rd, east of Salinas in Monterey county remains 10,672 acres and 7% contained. Unified command: CAL FIRE BEU and Monterey County Sheriff’s Department.

From the CalFire Website:

River fire shown next to the Carmel Fire:

River Fire showing Infrared Heat Perimeter and the latest VIIRS satellite detections:

Important caveats: Please note that the squares on the heat detection maps represent the expected margin of error, not the size of the area burned. In other words, the detection could have come from anywhere within the square. Also be aware that false detections do sometimes occur. An outlying or “over the line” heat detection is not, by itself, a confirmation that there is fire in the area indicated. In addition, the satellites do not detect heat everywhere that fire exists. Creeping, backing or smoldering fire is often not detected. Finally, the detections are only snapshots of moments in time. Flare ups that occur before or after a satellite pass may be entirely missed.

Also be aware that yellow squares disappear from the map after 6 days. These are not maps of the area burned since the fire began, just maps of where heat has been detected during the past week.

National interagency Fire Center Map can be found here: https://maps.nwcg.gov/sa/#/%3F/EditLayerSatelliteFireDetections/36.5964/-121.701/12

 

Post will be updated with more info.

USFS Inciweb report on Dolan Fire:

Incident Overview

Image options: [ Full Size ]

The Dolan Fire started at 8:15pm on Tuesday, August 18, 2020. The location is 6 miles north of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles south of Big Sur. The fire actively burned throughout the night, running through Hot Springs Canyon and is now burning in Big Creek Canyon.The east side of Dolan Canyon was evacuated. Highway 1 is closed between Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park and Ragged Point. The fire is burning in the Ventana Wilderness. It is currently at 2,500 acres. The cause is unknown and under investigation. There are 50 personnel on the fire. Los Padres is in Unified Command with the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, and the Cal Fire BEU. This fire is putting out a lot of smoke so the public is strongly advised to avoid this area.

Incident Information

Basic Information

Current as of	8/19/2020, 2:01:19 PM
Incident Type	Wildfire
Cause	Unknown
Date of Origin	Tuesday August 18th, 2020 approx. 08:15 PM
Location	6 miles North of Limekiln State Park, 10 miles south of Big Sur
Incident Commander	Pete Harris,US Forest Service, Incident Commander
Incident Description	Wildfire
Coordinates	36.123 latitude, -121.602 longitude

Current Situation

Total Personnel	50
Size	2,500 Acres
Fuels Involved	Chaparral (6 feet)Brush (2 feet)Timber (Grass and Understory)
Significant Events	Extreme Long-range spotting, short-range spotting, running

Outlook

Planned Actions	Full suppresion
Projected Incident Activity	Fire is burning in the Ventana wilderness. Fire is moving up and down canyons, spotting and making erratic runs, evacuations with structure protection on the North and South of fire. Fire will continue to burn in the Ventana Wilderness. Area tends to burn actively in the evening hours driven by mid-slope thermal weather activity.Forestcast for hot and dry weather. Anticipate Fire to continue to actively burn, spot, run and increase in size.
Remarks	Concern of fire movement to Highway 1. Presently Hwy. 1 is closed from Pfeiffer State Park atthe North to Ragged Point at the South.Communities of Lucia, Partington Ridge, Big Creek Reserve and Camboa Point face potentialevacuation.

Current Weather

Weather Concerns

Continued Hot and Dry weather pattern. Potential for previous days lightning to produce new starts in the area.

Most recent satellite, courtesy of John Chestnut:

DolanFire southern road closure moved to Ragged Point, northern is still at JPBurns.

DolanFire est 2500 acres, actively burning in all directions. Evacs on east side of Dolan Cyn. Hwy 1 closed on the south at Lucia & north at Julia Pfeiffer Burns SP. @LosPadresNF in Unified Cmd with @CALFIREBEU, @MCoSheriff & Big Sur Vol Fire Brigade.

Just got an update from one of the residents at Dolan:
“evacuating went well. things were so fast moving. i was lucky to have help and get my important things and make it out around midnight, but it was fast moving, downhill with no marine layer to slow it down. high likelihood all structures east of the highway were lost in the Santa Lucia Ranch.”

Provided by John Chestnut:

Important caveats: Please note that the squares on the heat detection maps represent the expected margin of error, not the size of the area burned. In other words, the detection could have come from anywhere within the square. Also be aware that false detections do sometimes occur. An outlying or “over the line” heat detection is not, by itself, a confirmation that there is fire in the area indicated. In addition, the satellites do not detect heat everywhere that fire exists. Creeping, backing or smoldering fire is often not detected. Finally, the detections are only snapshots of moments in time. Flare ups that occur before or after a satellite pass may be entirely missed.

7:45 am — Dolan is about 2500 acres. Highway One is closed from JPBurns to Lucia. Spotter plane just flew over, evacuations of east side of highway and, I am told, Esalen last night. Fire established in Big Creek.

7 am — Looks like the fire is fully entrenched in Big Creek Canyon, the dozers were sent home as the fire is in the Ventana Wilderness, and Connie McCoy walked down the Hot Springs Canyon about 4:30 am and took these photos from Highway One. Here, it is so dark with the smoke, I have to have my lights on inside. Eerie.

Maps showing the extent of the fire early this am. Made it to Big Creek.

Big Creek, Circle M, Esalen, and some homes were evacuated last night/early this am. I had word early this am that 4 civilians were dug in and protecting their homes.

Will be setting up a separate post for the Carmel Fire, which like this one, we will be updating through out the day.

Go watch a video bigsurkiyote (lance lindborg) posted. It is crazy! That’s on instagram. Just search for his screen name.

It is now 1:15. I will probably make it until 2, but not much past that, I fear. Here is a photo by Scott Moffat who says:

Took these earlier tonight from the top of hot springs canyon. I
watched the fire climb out of Dolan watershed and spill over into Hot
Springs canyon with the wind at my back. Silhouettes of tree skeletons
from the recent fires still stand as the current inferno rages towards
home.

Midnight, and at 11:45 — from scanner (not confirmed): Fire burning downhill with rapid rate of spread. Spotting downhill 100 yards out ahead of itself. Esalen Institute threatened!!! Structure protection needed asap. Fire behavior described as extreme.

Here is a photo from just minutes before they closed the road near/at this location.

11 pm — Highway One is closed, Nacimiento is closed. (??? From scanner traffic)

Per the scanner 10:20PM: Sheriff Rescue calling CHP for a hard closure of HWY1 for fire coming down the hill.

State Forest Ranger/ CalFire are reporting the Dolan Fire, approx. 90 acres, 2-miles into the forest. Approximate location is 55427 Highway 1 in Big Sur,  36 7.166 x 121 35.986.

Post will be updated as info becomes available.

Per Wildcad:

08/18/2020 20:04

LPF-2428

Dolan

Wildfire

36 7.166 x 121 35.986

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36 7.398, -121 36.096

21S R3E Sec 11

Carmel Fire – Evacuation Warning for Tassajara Rd 7:05 PM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation warning for all residents on Tassajara Rd, including the community of Jamesburg, Parrot Ranch Rd, Laurel Spring Rd, Kincannon Rd, Sage Mountain Rd, Lambert, Poppy Tree, tributaries, and Tassajara Rd from Cachagua Rd to East Carmel Valley Rd. Evacuate north on Tassajara Rd to Carmel Valley Rd.

Scanner Report from Sheriff Rescue (unconfirmed) 6:50 PM: Sheriff Rescue is calling for Evacuation Advisory for all of Tassajara Road. Also, a new Strike Team arrived at CV Road and Cachagua Road (for assignment).

Scanner Report from Sheriff Rescue (unconfirmed) 6:20 PM: Sheriff is asking CHP for a Hard Road Closure at Cachagua and Tassajara Road. Carmel Valley Library is the Evacuation Center. Knock on the door – Temperature checks

Carmel Fire – Evacuation Order for Summerhill Road to Asoleado Dr. Evacuation Warning for Asoleado Dr to Tassajara Rd 5:54 PM – The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for residents east of Cachagua Rd between Summerhill Road and Asoleado Dr, including Summerhill, Nason, Asoleado Dr and Tributaries. An evacuation warning has been issued for residents east of Cachagua Rd between Asoleado Dr and Tassajara Rd, including Trampa Cayon Rd, Comstat Rd, and tributaries. Evacuate south on Cachagua Rd to Tassajara Rd.

Scanner Report from Incident Command (unconfirmed)  4:26 PM: IS is asking for any additional units and equipment. They’re also asking to push the evacuation order to Tassajara Road.

Scanner Report from Sheriff Rescue (unconfirmed) 5:50 PM: Neighborhoods from Sky Ranch up to Asoleado have been alerted of the Evacuation Notice. A Deputy has been assigned to notify the Zen Center.

Evacuation Order for Via Cielo to Summerhill. Evacuation Warning for Summerhill to Nason Rd – The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an evacuation order for residents east of Cachagua Rd between Via Cielo and Summerhill Road, including Via Cielo, Summerhill and Tributaries. An evacuation warning has been issued for residents east of Cachagua Rd between Summerhill and Nason Rd. Evacuate south on Cachagua Rd to Tassajara Rd.  (They will not be able to get out to Carmel Valley Rd. According to Cachagua Fire officials, all aircraft have been told to stand down due to thick smoke from the River Fire.)

Evacuation Order Cachagua Rd between Sky Ranch and Via Cielo – Per MC_OES 3:20 PM:  “Evacuation order for residents east of Cachagua Rd between Sky Ranch and Via Cielo, including Sky Ranch, Tributaries, and Via Cielo.”

Sky Ranch Mandatory Evacuations – Per MCSO 2PM: “This is a message from the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, this is a notification of mandatory evacuations for anything above the fire on Cahagua Rd, exit onto Tassajara rd, you will not be able to get out to Carmel Valley Rd.”

4:15 PM: 3 structures burned, 5 damaged, still has potential to 1,500 acres.

3:39 PM: Currently 400-450 acres,  potential to 1,500 Acres…

3:06 PM: Currently 200-250 acres, rapid rate of spread, structure defense, potential to 1,000 Acres…

1:45 update: 30-40 acres, rapid rate, potential for 250 acres

New fire reported, 10 acres, 2 houses immediate threat, 20 houses threatened. 737 air-tanker on-scene.

Per sheriff on scene, spreading fast. Requesting CHP to shut down CVR & Cachagua.

From above Stonepine 8:50 PM:

From CV Village at 8:45PM:

Google Earth hot spots (VIIRS) as of 5PM PT (not current):

CLick here for an online Fire Map (may not be current):  https://firms.modaps.eosdis.nasa.gov/map/?fbclid=IwAR0qBh6JZHsQqqnsIMEQAZPsag8oq5kc7z-aoD8Cb1J5cxFfDRhPUxnPqBY#t:adv;d:2020-08-17..2020-08-18;@-121.6,36.4,12z

4:21 from Los Tulares:

4:10 above Stonepine:

2:14 PM from above Stonepine:

2:08 PM from Long Ridge:

 

Picture below from: http://www.alertwildfire.org/centralcoast/index.html?camera=Axis-Carmel&v=81e004f&fbclid=IwAR0RogPMRAEUXzVdxRFg90N8hfoUKXKRFB3Pq2LThpnBEny6Qy4p0dHr46A

Updated photo 5:17 PM

Updated photo 2:21 PM

 

1:35 PM from CV Airport:

Per FB (at the corner below the Turkey Shoot):

8/18/20 Air Quality at Carmel Valley -Tularcitos School:

 

**Updated evacuation warning**
The following areas are under an Evacuation Warning: Communities within the north of San Benancio Rd, West of Troy Lane, Southeast of Harper Canyon Rd to include Harper Canyon Road, Weather Rock Way, Rimrock Canyon Road.

From MCOES: “River Fire progressing southeast along the ridge. Following areas are under Evacuation Warning: Southwest of Parker Rd, Northwest of Coral De Cielo Rd and Rana Creek, Southeast of the intersection Chualar River Rd and River Road, Northwest of Limekiln Rd/Creek.“

Here is a pretty good map of what is happening. The orange dots are the “older” sections of the fire, and the red dots are the newer. This will give some idea of direction it has been growing.

8 pm release

Photos below of the River Fire by a friend

6pm — Mandatory Evacuation Pine Canyon Rd, Parker Rd, Laurel Ln, & Trimble Hill Ln Evacuation Advisory: Mt. Toro Access Rd & San Benancio Rd from Troy Lane to Corral de Tierra, including Corral del Cielo Rd, Lucie Lane, and Covie Lane.

6 pm — Lots of activity in the last two hours. They may have lost some containment lines. IC reporting fire is 500-1,000 acres, AA410 wants a no-divert status on all the tankers due to immediate life threat. 2 addl strike teams of engines any type requested for a total of 4. FF’s actively engaged in evacuations.