New plume behind Apple Pie.
Photo By Jen Smith Taken From The Top Of Clear Ridge
Hard Closure of Highway One – NOW OPEN
2:24 – now open, but power out indefinitely.
At Captain Cooper due to a downed tree, right where the damaged PG&E pole was. This will be a temporary closure, I believe.
Soberanes Fire, Day 4, 7/25/16 – Images
Photo Courtesy Honey Williams. Lower Long Ridge from July 24
Photo By Mike Heisinger. Robinson Canyon Rd. July 24
Photo Mike Morales Robinson Canyon Rd. July 24
Photo by Mike Heisinger, Marsh Lake, The Preserve July 24
Photo SLO Stringer Palo Colorado
Photo Courtesy Michael Troutman
Soberanes Fire, Day 4, 7/25/16 – Official Reports & Maps
Evening fact sheet:
“Point Lobos State Natural Reserve is closed until further notice due to the Soberanes Fire. Current fire information can be found at the CalFire site here. Our appreciation and prayers go to all the men and women working around the clock to contain this difficult fire, and to everyone who have been displaced by it. This site will be updated once the Reserve has opened.” (http://www.ptlobos.org)
Map from tonight’s meeting. I think it is already out-of-date base on what I am seeing:
1:40 pm – Additional Road Closures:
12:11 –
Soberanes Fire Community Meeting TONIGHT
6pm at Carmel River School
15th and Monte Verde, Carmel
Meeting will be hosted by Cal Fire and USFS
District 5 will have representation
Last night’s IR flight on Topo:
From State Parks:
Kate,
All parks in the Big Sur Sector—Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, and Pt. Sur Lighthouse Historic Park– are now officially closed to day use, hiking, camping, surfing, swimming, and special events (including softball).
State Parks appreciates the cooperation of the Big Sur community in respecting this closure order.
Michele
Michele Craig
Senior Park Aide, Administrative Lead
Big Sur Sector, California State Parks
Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
ABSOLUTELY DYNAMITE OFFICIAL FIRE MAP:
Revised Facts Sheet to exclude Carmel Valley from the evac advisory, just like last night. Someone needs to destroy this guys first template! I’ve removed the original from my site to avoid confusion.
Soberanes Fire, Day 4, 7/25/16 – Local Accounts
6 pm – that plume has moved considerably west in the last hour.
2:55 pm – this time, she blew, one of the largest plumes on this fire I have seen and it keeps growing.(there will be a photo later on a separate post)
12:30 big plume visible from down here. It is making a run someplace. One witness said this:
“Fire making a big run up behind El Sur Ranch, looks like it’s running up from north fork Little Sur, difficult to pinpoint exact location due to smoke haze. Many Dozers and fire personal between Little Sur bridge and Captain Cooper School.”
9:25 – need to slow down, I missed the second part of the donation flyer, so here it is:
9:08 Situational Map
Okay … Is that the golden stairs dozer line I see at the bottom of that map? I know the IC put in a request for overflow 50 dozers in his equipment request last night … Have no idea how many he will get. But I like this direction …
8:56 am –
7:52 – local resident reports Bixby finally getting some help.
And From Keith Vandervere:
7:29 – from a local resident, held in high esteem by most of us:
” When I returned from Pico Blanco area late last night very disturbed at the lack of personnel even patrolling the Old Coast Road for any spot fires. ”
7:08 am – updated IR flight sent by John Chesnut. Blue line is yesterday’s perimeter to show growth.
7:00 am – thermal image sent by Jim Barr who reports new detects NW & E of Bixby Mountain; W of Mt. Carmel; & W of Rancho San Carlos.
5:30 am – First off, some housekeeping matters. Today, I will begin three separate posts. This one, to add for local reports from the fire lines; the second one will be for official notices; and lastly a photo one.- go to the right and under “pages” you will see Soberanes Photos. Mike Morales will be handling that page for me, but he goes out at dawn for his own photos (with or without fires) and then checks in with various commands, then comes back to process and upload his photos, so he will be in and out all day. I will forward photos I receive to him, but I’ve given him complete and utter editorial discretion on what to post. It has been a while since he has worked with WordPress, so today will be a “work-in-progress” for him. I am SO thankful for his help!!
On official notices, if it is an evacuation order, I may send it out separately to make sure everyone on the two social media I monitor and post to – Facebook and Twitter – will see it as it goes up simultaneously. I’m going to play that one by ear today. If I do, that means when you visit my blog, you may want to scroll through various posts to get all of today’s news and photos.
I get a lot of questions which I did my best to answer or explain why there was no answer, both publicly and privately, sometimes answering the same question numerous times in the comment section, over the past three days. With private questions, I will make no promises I will answer, but will try with all reasonable questions, if I can. Today, I am instituting a policy from my legal career – Asked and Answered. I will answer only once publicly. You are responsible for checking prior comments to see whether your question has already been addressed. Many of you have become absolutely wonderful about answering each other’s questions when you can. I so honor and appreciate that as it saves me time and energy. If it is a question that calls for a crystal ball, I will not even try explaining why I cannot answer. If you have a visit planned here and are asking a question about that, I have one word for you – don’t. Honor us and the land, and don’t be a looky-loo who is so busy taking a selfie that you don’t realize you are in the way. It is smoky and not a good time to visit.
I am in this for the long haul and need to conserve and take care of myself, as so very many of you remind me. Last night, I did not get my solid 6 hours, but only got 4, so later this am I will try to get another hour in, whenever the lull hits, and it usually does. If necessary, I will do that several times today.
Okay, boys and girls, keep an eye on each other and the words for today are compassion and empathy for all living critters.
NEW MANDATORY EVACUATION ORDERS ISSUED FOR TONIGHT & Revised Fact Sheet, 7/24/16
PLEASE READ THESE CAREFULLY!
Just issued at 9:30 pm – this revised fact sheet. The only differences I can tell are in the Evacuation Notices – and NO Carmel Valley is NOT included, and YES evacuation warning issued for Old Coast RD from Bixby to Andrew Molera.
Cal Fire Facts Sheet, 7/24/16
MCOES issues an evacuation warning
Soberanes Fire, Day 3, 7/24/16
From State Parks:
“We just had a meeting where the decision was made to close Pfeiffer Big Sur to day use as of sundown tonight. Current campers are being told they need to be out by noon tomorrow at which time the Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park will be totally closed.”
Mandatory Evacuation Orders Expanded
From Micah Curtis a few moments ago:
“Kodiak is at the Bixby ranch and says that the fire is creeping down into the north fork of the Little Sur drainage doesn’t see much fire fighting action. If the fire gets around Pico Blanco into the south fork of the Little Sur very good odds that it will crest the ridge above Big Sur Valley in a couple days. People in the valley should double down on their fire clearance. We have dozed out our fire breaks but midslope breaks are not that good.. Micah Curtis.” Okay, can I have a drink, now?
3:30 pm – the latest Fire Map at the Highlands Fire Station:
New MODIS from John Chesnut:
2:57 pm – Revised Evacuation Warning:
2:00 pm – I cannot stress enough how important it is to read the comments, ALL of them, for additional information from people on the ground and in the midst, who are telling what they actually see. I don’t have the time or energy to copy and paste them all.
Also received this from a reader:
“3 trucks and 3 dozers are stationed at White Rock Club just above our family cabin…dozers going to new fire roads to fight fire from that front. It is very close. Thank you to those who are fighting for us all.
1:50 pm –
1:30 pm – CV Airport, photos by Matt (No last name given)
Laureles Grade, photo by Jim Barr
12:50: From Sehr Evens: “Well it’s official. We received confirmation from our neighbor this morning, our house is gone. My fathers home that he built by hand, my childhood, my roots, my family stories, gone! Thank god our neighbor somehow survived. I was so worried for his life but he somehow lived through this although his house is gone. My dad is also safe, he evacuated Friday night thank god. Here’s what I know with most certainty about our little part of the road, The only two house that survived where Curtis Gilmans and Rebecca Roveto old place(the fire apparently jumped over them as there was no one defending them). Everything else on our little area is gone. Everyone that I know of from Rocky creek that staid is alive although the only other house I know im of that survived is Brian Patch’s. I’m assuming all other are gone unless somehow the fire hopped it.
Thank you to everyone who has sent your prayers and love. What really matters right now is that as far as I know our people are alive and well.”
Unconfirmed Reports of up to 25 houses lost in various areas, and others under attack.
12:45 pm – just got word there are a number of homes on one side of Green Ridge that have been lost. I don’t have names, and even if I did, I wouldn’t give them out. Check with neighbors still there. New flare up on Garrapatos is threatening another set of homes. No further, so again, check with those still there … But remember, some of your neighbors are fighting right now and don’t have time for questions. So PRAY. And if you want to help? Volunteer at the shelter, take cold water to firefighters in your neighborhood, and the like. If anyone needs help with large animal Evans, I have a contact I can pass along.
12:30 pm – Photos from Alan Buchwald on Weston Ridge RD. From last night and this morning:
Photos from Chelsea Rullo from CV
12:15 pm – I get frustrated some times with questions I get during emergencies, but I get a lot of people complimenting me on the work I do – BUT it is ONLY because I have been at this for 8 years now and have built up a phenomenal support group of informational gathering locals who can provide me with the real scoop and amazing photographs that allows me to do the work I do. Thank you all for this unique and blessed community of Big Surians, near and far.
Taken at Midnight last night by Peter Nichols:
11:30 am – fire trucks just spotted going up Old Coast Road, hopefully to Bixby Mtn spot or to preposition, 8-10 trucks, WT, etc. See comments section for report. Also 14 trucks headed East on CV Valley RD.at 10:30
And then this photo from Mike Morales taken from Robinson Canyon Road after dawn this am:
11:00 current photo from Laureles Grade by Sandy O’Keefe Bellamy, who just PM’d that the smoke is increasing again – might be getting ready for another run.
Another map from Scott Thomas showing relationship to Boy Scout Camp. Note spot ahead of main fire on Bixby Mtn near Botcher’s Gap
Here is a link to Keith Vandervere’s amazing video of the DC-10 drop on Mal Paso yesterday:
Photos by Michael Troutman from last night:
Great history of fire in the area on Mid Coast Fire Brigade website here:Mid Coast Fire Brigade
1o:00 am – just got notice that she is running again. Huge Plume visible from Fire Camp on El Toro Park. I cannot see squat.
9 am – From Keith Vandervere:
Cal Fire Fact sheet:
Sent to me by Jim Barr:
Sent by John Chestnut, a great IR map interpretation from just before midnight – even shows the spot on Bixby Mtn
7:40 am – report from the front lines that all cabins in Garrapata Canyon were saved last night. The fire wrapped around them. Good news always welcome.
7:15 – reported that John Moon is taking a backhoe to the fire on Bixby Mtn. (He promised to be careful) The authorities did not know where Bixby Mtn is.
6:45 – Got a report from a resident on Mescal Ridge time stamp at 6:34 am (thank god I was up and had started working) that the fire had topped Bixby Mtn. And was headed to the Little Sur River and he didn’t think the authorities knew about it, so he asked me to notify them. I called 911 and so did he.
6:30 AM – Woke to a completely smoky morning down here – can’t see much of anything. Can’t see Willow Creek top at all. A little better to the north, but not much. Wondering if in my single minded-focus on Soberanes, I might have missed another? That thought crossed my mind yesterday afternoon, too. Okay – give me a 1/2 hour to get up to speed, and I’ll be reporting my findings.
Soberanes Fire Photos, 7/23
I received a lot of photos today, but nobody put more time in my day. Now that it is dark and news has quieted, I can post a few of the ones I think are either great photos, great perspective, or otherwise contribute new information for today’s events. I will simply identify the place and time, if provided, and the photographer. If I don’t include yours, if might be that it is just lost in my inbox, on Twitter, or FB. I get them through so many different methods, it is really hard to keep track. Doesn’t mean I don’t want them or think they are not worthy of posting, it only means I am one person – flawed, busy, and at times, disorganized.
With these images, I bid you good night. I’ll be up and gathering info early, but probably not ready to start posting until 7 when I have a feel for what happened overnight. Love, blessings and healing to all of us and our land.
From Stephen Adair, around 10 pm showing upper Mal Paso Canyon;
From Scott Moffet tonight, taken from Coast RD. Behind Ventana:
By Clayton Scicluna, taken from Post Ranch this afternoon:
From Bruce Dormody at dusk, showing the fire crossing White Rock Ridge into the Garzas.
From Lucas Ryan shot from White Rock Cabins
From Juanita Turner tonight from CV
Jane Goldcamp, CV around 8:45pm
These by Steve Parlato around noon from Pebble Beach Golf Course:
That’s it, I cannot do anymore tonight.