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Updated: 11:33 a.m. Aug. 16
First discovered: 8 days ago, 8:35 p.m. Aug. 8
Initial location: Southeast of Loma Vista, Monterey County, Calif.
Fire unit: Los Padres National Forest;Monterey County Sheriff’s Department
Fire type: Wildfire
Fire name: Timber Fire
Timber Fire initially started at 8:35 p.m. Aug. 8 of Southeast of Loma Vista in Monterey County, California.
By Sunday noon, it had burned 4,869 acres. As of Sunday noon, the fire crew managed to contain 15% of this wildfire. At present, details about the cause of the fire are unknown.
Fire containment
What does it mean for a fire to be 15% contained?
The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 15% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 85% is still uncontrolled.
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Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn’t always correlate to safety level. Also, it’s important to note that containment doesn’t mean a fire is out.
How is containment measured?
The incident’s central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
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Source: Cal Fire
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This story was originally published August 16, 2026 at 7:35 AM.
