Illegal Campfires on South Coast

Remember this announcement just two days ago? https://bigsurkate.blog/2025/07/31/no-campfires-on-south-coast-of-big-sur-warns-monterey-county/

This was taken last night by one of the members of the Big Sur South Coast Fire Foundation on a weekend patrol.

Big Sur South Coast Fire Foundation is a non-profit run entirely by volunteers, trying to keep our back country safe from the clueless (those not familiar with back country camping) or those who see the signs but think they don’t apply to them. If you want to support Big Sur South Coast Fire Patrol, one can donate here: https://www.bsscff.org/

Rage Against the Regime

 
We Said Hands Off and No Kings Here! We Made Good Trouble! Now We will PEACEFULLY Gather to Rage Against the Regime!Aug. 2nd, 2-4pm Window on the Bay, MontereySign up HERE
Food Drive at the Monterey Rally for All in Monterey CountyNon-perishable donation, especially lunchbox foods for kids; individually wrapped granola bars, fruit wraps & cups, chips, cookies, juice boxes, etc– – – – –Help Wanted! Peacekeepers and other volunteers needed for Monterey Rally!Sign up Here! 
 
Rage Against the RegimeA Peaceful RallyAug. 2nd, 12-2South Main and Blanco, SalinasSign up HERE
 

8.7 Earthquake Tsunami Advisory

Message from Alert Monterey County:

The National Weather Service has issued a Tsunami Advisory for the California coast following a magnitude 8.7 earthquake near the Kamchatka region.

Tsunami is expected to reach the Monterey County coastline at 12:15 AM on July 30, 2025. Impact is to be determined.

Avoid water and beach at this time.

We will continue to provide updated information. For more information, visit: https://tsunami.gov/


The Weather Channel®

Updated at 5:19 PM PDT. ⚠️ The National Weather Service has issued a Tsunami Watch on Jul 29 for Santa Lucia Mountains. ….A TSUNAMI WATCH IS NOW IN EFFECT WHICH INCLUDES THE COASTAL AREAS OF CALIFORNIA, OREGON, WASHINGTON, BRITISH COLUMBIA AND ALASKA FROM THE CAL./MEXICO BORDER TO CHIGNIK BAY ALASKA… If you are located in this coastal area, stay alert for further updates. Tsunami watches are an advance notice to areas that could be impacted by a tsunami at a later time. Watch areas may be upgraded to a warning or advisory status, or canceled, based on new information. At 425 PM Pacific Daylight Time on July 29 an earthquake with preliminary magnitude 8.7 occurred 80 miles southeast of Petropavlovsk Kamchatka. Estimated tsunami start times for selected sites are; Kodiak Alaska 820 PM. AKDT. July 29. Seward Alaska 845 PM. AKDT. July 29. Elfin Cove Alaska 850 PM. AKDT. July 29. Yakutat Alaska 855 PM. AKDT. July 29. Sitka Alaska 855 PM. AKDT. July 29. Langara British Columbia 1005 PM. PDT. July 29. Valdez Alaska 905 PM. AKDT. July 29. Cordova Alaska 915 PM. AKDT. July 29. Homer Alaska 940 PM. AKDT. July 29. Craig Alaska 955 PM. AKDT. July 29. Tofino British Columbia 1130 PM. PDT. July 29. La Push Washington 1135 PM. PDT. July 29. Neah Bay Washington 1140 PM. PDT. July 29. Port Orford Oregon 1140 PM. PDT. July 29. Long Beach Washington 1145 PM. PDT. July 29. Charleston Oregon 1145 PM. PDT. July 29. Brookings Oregon 1150 PM. PDT. July 29. Fort Bragg California 1150 PM. PDT. July 29. Moclips Washington 1150 PM. PDT. July 29. Westport Washington 1155 PM. PDT. July 29. Seaside Oregon 1155 PM. PDT. July 29. Newport Oregon 1155 PM. PDT. July 29. Crescent City California 1155 PM. PDT. July 29. Monterey California 1215 AM. PDT. July 30. Port Angeles Washington 1220 AM. PDT. July 30. Port San Luis California 1235 AM. PDT. July 30.San Francisco California 1240 AM. PDT. July 30. Port Townsend Washington 1245 AM. PDT. July 30. Santa Barbara California 1250 AM. PDT. July 30. Los Angeles Harbor California 105 AM. PDT. July 30. Newport Beach California 110 AM. PDT. July 30. Bellingham Washington 110 AM. PDT. July 30. Oceanside California 115 AM. PDT. July 30. La Jolla California 115 AM. PDT. July 30. The tsunami watch will remain in effect until further notice. Refer to the internet site tsunami.gov for more infor

California Coastal Commission Public Hearing on Vacation Rentals in Monterey County

IMPORTANT PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

LCP Amendment No. LCP-3-MCO-24-0039-1 (Vacation Rentals) 
Public hearing and potential action on request by Monterey County to add new LCP Implementation Plan (IP) Section 20.64.290 and make other conforming IP changes to regulate vacation rentals in the County’s coastal zone.(KB-SC)
HEARING DATE AND LOCATION: ITEM NO: W15a
DATE: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
TIME: Meeting Begins at 9:00 AMPLACE: King Gillette Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Dr., Calabasas, CA 91302
If you would like to submit comments or participate at the hearing, please see the Commission’s hearing procedures
If you would like to sign up to speak for this item at the hearing in-person or via Zoom, please fill out the testimony request form on the agenda page.Questions? Questions regarding this agenda item and/or this hearing should be directed to Katie Butler in the Commission’s Central Coast District office (at 725 Front Street, Suite 300, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-427-4863) or to  CentralCoast@coastal.ca.gov
View Hearing Notice
Go to Hearing Agenda

Monterey County LCP Amendment Number LCP-3-MCO-24-0039-1 (Vacation

Rentals). Public hearing and potential action on request by Monterey County to add

new LCP Implementation Plan (IP) Section 20.64.290 and make other conforming IP

changes to regulate vacation rentals in the County’s coastal zone.

The hearing will take place on August 13, 2025. The Commission will hold a

series of hearings this day starting at 9am and will move through each agenda item in

order. This matter is on the agenda as item number 15a on Wednesday, August 13,

2025.

Staff report and staff recommendation. A copy of the staff report (with the staff

recommendation) for this matter is available at http://www.coastal.ca.gov/mtgcurr.html (click

on the Wednesday tab and scroll down to agenda item 15a).

IMPORTANT! PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS WILL BE A HYBRID MEETING, WITH

BOTH VIRTUAL AND IN PERSON PARTICIPATION ALLOWED.

How to provide testimony at this hearing. Please see the Coastal Commission’s

Hybrid Hearing Procedures posted on the Coastal Commission’s webpage

at http://www.coastal.ca.gov for details on the procedures of this hearing. If you would like to

receive a paper copy of the Coastal Commission’s Hybrid Hearing Procedures, please

call 415-904-5202. The in-person portion of the meeting will be held at King Gillette

Ranch, 26800 Mulholland Hwy., Calabasas, CA 91302.

How to provide written comments for this hearing. To submit written materials

for review by the Commission, either email (via CentralCoast@coastal.ca.gov) or

submit such materials to Commission staff no later than 5pm on the Friday before the

hearing (and staff will then distribute your materials to the Commission). Note that

such materials received after this time will not be distributed to the Commission.

Alternatively, you may also submit such materials directly to the Commissioners (a

current list of Commissioner names and email addresses is available from

Commission staff or from the Commission’s website) as long as such materials are

submitted to all Commissioners, all alternates for Commissioners, the three non-voting

members of the Commission, and Commission staff. You are requested to summarize

the reasons for your position in no more than two or three pages, if possible.

Questions? Questions regarding this agenda item and/or this hearing should be

directed to Katie Butler in the Commission’s Central Coast District office (at 725 Front

Street, Suite 300, Santa Cruz, CA 95060, 831-427-4863) or to

Katie.Butler@coastal.ca.gov.

Sunday Photo, 7/27/25 – Ghost Pine at Sunset

This photo has not been changed, enhanced or otherwise manipulated with the exception of adding a frame. Taken out my back door a few days ago. The fog came all the way up for just a moment — long enough to capture this.

Want to meet people and educate them about fire safety and Leave No Trace practices? Join VWA’s Trailhead Ambassador Program.

LOOKING FOR VOLUNTEERS FOR THE

PINE RIDGE TRAILHEAD AT BIG SUR STATION

Volunteers with the Ventana Wilderness Alliance (VWA) greet backpackers at the Pine Ridge Trailhead adjacent to the Big Sur Station parking lot.  The Trailhead Ambassador Program (TAP) is in place to make visitors feel welcome to the wilderness and answer questions but also to educate them on fire safety and Leave No Trace Practices without lecturing.  This program is a partnership with the VWA and USFS.

VWA is currently looking for volunteers that would like to participate in the program.  Volunteers would pick up supplies at Big Sur Station and set up at the trailhead.  Best days would be Saturday mornings, but other days could work.  Hours can vary, but preferably between 8 and 9AM to start and end the shift between 1 and 2 PM.  You would work alongside of a volunteer Wilderness Ranger until comfortable working alone or together with another volunteer.

If interested, please contact Barbara Ray at Barbaraannray46@gmail.com or VWA at vwa@ventanawild.org

Regent’s Slide Update

Date:Thursday, July 24, 2025
District:05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact:Celeste Morales or Kevin Drabinski
Phone:(805) 549-3237 or (805) 549-3138
  

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #5

FULL SCALE EXCAVATION RESUMES AT REGENT’S SLIDE 

MONTEREY COUNTY – Crews are continuing with repairs to Regent’s Slide, which closed Highway 1 on February 9, 2024.

Crews at Regent’s Slide resumed full-scale excavation activities in mid-July following the installation of 2,000 shear dowels, which have been drilled and grouted into the cut slope, above the active work area, to stabilize slope movement identified in late-April.

An array of monitoring equipment has confirmed that the shear dowels are having the intended effect of mitigating further slide activity. As the top-down excavation advances, crews will continue to install shear dowels in the cut slope behind them, providing immediate and long-term reinforcement of the slope. To date, the installation of 2,000 shear dowels has included almost 23 miles of steel and 900 tons of cement.

Excavation work is continuing with the combined use of both conventional and remote-controlled equipment. The remote-controlled equipment, including two large bulldozers and one excavator, remain an integral component to the advancement of excavation and removal of slide material. Crews continue to work seven days a week and extended hours on these repair efforts.

With the resumption of full-scale excavation work, Caltrans will be in a position to provide an updated estimate on the full reopening of Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide in mid-September.

Big Sur Coast Remains Accessible and Open

Visitors can access more than 100 miles of Highway 1 between Cambria and Carmel, except for the 6.8-mile segment one mile south of the Esalen Institute to two miles north of Lucia.

Travelers from Northern California can still access historic bridges, waterfalls, restaurants, and lodging amenities along the Big Sur coast. Travelers from Southern California can reach the endearing communities of Lucia, Gorda, Treebones, Ragged Point, San Simeon, and Cambria via Highway 1.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: X/Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

For more information about transportation projects and funding, visit: Build.ca.gov.