Fire near King City shuts down NB lanes of 101

4:54 PM 6 [25] 8-S1 SHUT DOWN NB TRAFF UNTIL FIRE GETS IT OUT
4:47 PM 5 [20] 40 JNO WILDHORSE , SMOKE 1125 BOTH LNS
4:46 PM 4 [19] B8-040 SMOKE 1125 NB LNS, 40B ENTERING FRM FIRST ST
4:43 PM 3 [12] RP HERM / JNO 1ST / SMOKE /831-241-3570 [Shared]
4:41 PM 2 [4] [Appended, 16:42:53] [1] VEG FIRE 
4:40 PM 1 [1] 3 SML BRUSH FIRES ON THE RS

Clueless in Big Sur, 4/20/15

i want to start a new column, so-to-speak. Stories, preferably humorous, Or made so … About our clueless visitors. I’ll start, but send me any experiences you wish to share, and, if they have a point, but use humor to make it, I will publish … With credit or anonymously, as you prefer. Send your contribution to kwnovoa@mac.com

I’ve noticed that Saturday night the wilderness visitors are a bit stranger than those who come on Friday night. I am at a loss to explain the difference.

This past Saturday, late afternoon, early evening, I came upon several cars heading up Plaskett. One, a Subaru Outback didn’t want to pull over, so I rode his tail up Plaskett. From Gary’s driveway  until the bull frog, this guy wouldn’t pull over. Finally, a wide spot, and I was able to pass. I watched him in the rear view mirror, but he held back. I gave him no more thought. I needed to pee, but there were campers at all my usual spots, so I waited until I got to my gate. 

As I opened my Jeep door and went to get out, I was suddenly surrounded by 3 guys from the Subaru Outback. They were startled by my gate, and wanted to get through. “We have to get through, we are meeting friends at Prewitt Ridge camp.” Really? Demanding I let them through? Oh, yeah, like that’s going to work. “No, you can’t go through.” “But, our GPS sent us this way.”  “I don’t care if your mother sent you this way. You cant come through. Now, turn around, go down to the highway and go up Nacimiento. Goodbye.”

Clueless in Big Sur.

4 Brush Fires Near Salinas Valley State Prison

7:00 4 Fires started near SVSP a little after 5 pm this evening. I don’t have many details, yet, but I’ll add what I can find out, if anything. From KION: 

I’m no expert, but sounds like a trailer chain dragging or something similar, causing sparks.

Fire crews put out the flames, which stretched a half-mile along Highway 101’s center divide, Gonzales firefighters said.

It took crews 15 minutes to put the fire out. Cleanup efforts could take an hour, firefighters said.

The cause of the fires is unknown.

The Gonzales Fire Department is investigating, but CAL FIRE assisted in the firefighting efforts. 

Fire near Cuesta Grade Summit

WildCAD reports:

04/19/2015 11:13 LPF-982
 TOWER SLU Wildfire TV TOWER ROAD SL . . . . . 35.357 x 120.648
Detail Information
12:37 PM 21 [83] ADDTL CALLER TOT CALFIRE
12:19 PM 20 [77] ADDTL CALLER ADVSD FIRE 97
12:16 PM 19 [69] [Appended, 12:17:19] [1] OPEN LINE NEG RESP
12:12 PM 18 [68] ADDTL CALLER TOT CALFIRE
12:04 PM 17 [66] A28-101 NEG 1125 FIRE IS UNDER CONTROL
12:03 PM 16 [65] ADDTL RP TOT CALFIRE
11:53 AM 15 [57] [Appended, 11:53:30] [1] BRUSH FIRE
11:25 AM 14 [53] A28-101 SEV FIRE VEHS 97
11:22 AM 13 [42] 1039 CALFIRE
11:21 AM 12 [41] TRANS ALL CALLS TO CAL FIR
11:20 AM 11 [31] ADDTL CALLER TOT CALFIRE
11:19 AM 10 [27] ADDTL CALLER TOT CALFIRE
11:18 AM 9 [24] 1039 28-S3
11:16 AM 8 [15] ADDTL CALLER// TOT CALFIRE
11:14 AM 7 [10] BLUISH WHI GRAY SMOKE
11:14 AM 6 [9] TOT CALFIRE
11:14 AM 5 [7] [Appended, 11:14:34] [1] TREES ON FIRE// SMOKE VISIBLE 
11:14 AM 4 [6] NEG 1125
11:13 AM 3 [5] TOT CAL FIRE
11:13 AM 2 [3] GRAY SMOKE 
11:12 AM 1 [1] SMOKE ON WEST SIDE OF MOUNTAINS
Unit Information
11:14 AM 4 Unit Assigned
11:14 AM 3 Unit Enroute
11:22 AM 2 Unit At Scene
12:05 PM 1 Unit Cleared

Big Sur Marathon

CALTRANS
Today’s Date: Thursday, April 16, 2015
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties                                                  
Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone:  (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BIG SUR INTERNATIONAL MARATHON TO BE RUN ALONG HIGHWAY 1 ON SUNDAY, APRIL 26
 
MONTEREY COUNTY (CARMEL/BIG SUR) – The Big Sur International Marathon will be run along Highway 1 beginning at 7:00 a.m. on Sunday, April 26.  The race will start in Big Sur and will end at Rio Road in Carmel.

Traffic on Highway 1 will be restricted from 6:00 am until 1:30 pm from Sycamore Canyon Road to Carmel Valley Road. While the southbound lane is closed for the race, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will use the northbound lane to lead caravans of traffic in alternating directions at three different intervals during this time.  The CHP will also manage a closure for left turns from Carmel Valley Road onto southbound Hwy. 1 from 3:30 am until 1:30 pm. Therefore, motorists traveling in both directions should expect delays of up to two hours.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

To find out further information about the marathon, please call (831) 625-6226 or visit the official race website http://bsim.org/ 

For more information on this project and for traffic updates on other Caltrans projects in Monterey County, residents can call the District 5 toll free number at 1-877-448-6771 or can visit our website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/release.htm#mon
—–

FROM THE BIG SUR CHAMBER OF COMMERCE



The Big Sur Chamber of Commerce has a page with information supplied by BSIM which includes the Race Day Caravan Schedule, course map and more here:  http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/2015marathon.html

Big Sur Chamber of Commerce
PO Box 87
Big Sur, CA 93920
(831) 667-2100
http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org
http://www.Twitter.com/BigSurCC
http://www.TheBigSurBlog.com – Contains local information and updates on emergency information when appropriate.

Highway 1 Big Sur now has a toll free hotline to Check Road Conditions courtesy of CalTrans 888-836-0866

To subscribe to this email list send an email to bigsur-subscribe@bigsurcalifornia.org

More April Showers?

and every little bit welcomed!

From my SLO forecaster: “A stronger area of low pressure is then expected to move  into the Central Coast on Wednesday into next Thursday for   unsettled weather with rain. This morning’s model runs are advertising between a quarter and three quarters of an inch   of rain on Wednesday into Thursday.”

Vegetation Fire – Fully Contained

3:30 – Fully Contained at 1.5 acres. The fire was across the street from Del Monte Shopping Center. 5 engines and 1 helicopter worked the fire.

2:00 pm – Cal Fire is on the scene of a vegetation fire in the Del Monte Forest area. That area has many buildings nearby, so they will be working to knock this one down quickly. Still early in the season, too. I have no further details at this time.

Fire Season and Burn Permits – Cal Fire Announcements

CAL FIRE has suspended all open and permit required burning in the State Responsibility Areas of San Benito and Monterey Counties, effective Tuesday April 14, 2015.  
With a fourth year of drought and continuous record breaking temperatures this winter, our wildland fire season situation on the Central Coast has unprecedented conditions. 

Due to  the current weather conditions and the suspension issued by Cal Fire all burning permits issued by Mid-Coast Fire Brigade are hereby suspended effective immediately.

In a press release issued to the media yesterday Cal Fire would like to remind homeowners that they are required to maintain 100 feet of defensible space around all structures on their property.  Failure to comply with these requirements may result in a fine.  In a joint message from the Fire Chiefs – “Our men and women are prepared for fire season.  We now need the residents who live in our wildland areas and visitors to make sure they are.”


EXCERPTS FOR OUR AREA FROM PREDECTIVE FIRE SERVICES

Fuel Conditions and Fire Season Timing

In northern California, fuels have modified a bit from recent shower activity in some areas, but heavier dead fuels remain near record dry levels, more typical of mid-June than late March. Snowpack is the lowest it has ever been at this time of year, less than ten percent of normal across the higher terrain. A robust grass crop in the valleys and foothills west of the Sierra Crest has greened up early in most areas. Green up of brush up to 5000 feet has begun which is about six to eight weeks ahead of schedule. For the southern half of California, annual grasses below 3,000 feet have already cured along the south facing slopes south of Point Conception. Elsewhere around the Area, grasses should be fully cured within the next two to three weeks. Energy Release Component values are well above normal in most areas. Live fuel moisture values have recently peaked, and are now starting to descend. Portions of California will likely see increased activity earlier than usual thanks to the dryness from the long term drought. Fire activity across the lower elevations of northern and southern California is expected to increase in the coming weeks, especially during periods of warm, dry, and windy weather.


Weather and Climate Outlooks

For May through July, above normal temperatures are expected to continue for Alaska and across the West.

Past Weather and Drought

Temperatures were much above normal for much of the West and extreme to exceptional drought remained over California.

Significant Wildland Fire Potential Outlook
April
– Above normal wildland fire potential will develop across portions of Southern California.

June through July
 – Above normal wildland fire potential will expand to across the West Coast, part of the northern Rockies and Great Basin, and continue for most of Hawaii.

Northern California and Hawaii: Normal significant wildland fire potential is expected for April in Northern California and Hawaii. By early May plentiful grass in the lower elevations surrounding the Sacramento Valley should cure rapidly which should produce above normal significant wildland fire potential in these areas. Above normal potential will expand in June and July to include most areas, with the exception of far northeastern California where significant wildland fire potential will remain normal due to a lower-than-normal grass crop. Above normal significant wildland fire potential is expected for most of Hawaii from May through July. Only 20 to 50 percent of normal precipitation has been received over the Area during the previous three months. April should continue to be warmer- and drier-than-normal with any precipitation being more showery in nature. In between weather systems many days could record temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above normal. For Hawaii: Recent wet weather should minimize significant wildland fire potential in the short term for April but as a weak El Niño scenario unfolds, drought conditions could rapidly intensify. As a result, above normal significant wildland fire potential is expected across most areas from May through July. 

Fire Season Starts tomorrow, 4/13

From KSBY, SLO:

Fire season starts tomorrow. The Los Padres National Forest, the Santa Barbara County Fire Department, and CAL FIRE of San Luis Obispo are all increasing their staffing levels and equipment.

Firefighters say a fourth year of drought and record-breaking heat has created fire conditions they’ve never seen before, and they expect this dire season to be a challenging one. They say if a fire sparks, it has plenty of fuel because of dry vegetation.

With the start of fire season also comes some burn restrictions. Spark arresters are required on all off-highway vehicles A permit is required for all welding, grinding, cutting, and use of explosives. Fireworks are prohibited and burn permits are required where burning is allowed.