Wildfires burn more than 33,000 acres along CA’s Big Sur coast. See latest updates

The Timber and Plaskett fires continued to challenge firefighters up and down the Big Sur coast on Sunday, burning in rugged, steep terrain.

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After doubling in size Saturday, the Plaskett Fire burning along the southern Big Sur coast held at 8,241 acres on Sunday, with containment still at 1%.

The Timber Fire, meanwhile, was at 24,839 acres, up only slightly from the day before, with containment still at 21%.

Evacuation orders were in effect for 26 zones from the Little Sur River to just north of the San Luis Obispo County line, Cal Fire said. Another 19 zones were under evacuation warnings and seven zones in the area around the Timber Fire were under shelter-in-place orders.

Meanwhile, a 45-mile stretch of Highway 1 remained inaccessible to through traffic, thanks to two closures around the fires burning at the north and south ends of the Big Sur coast.

A 31-mile stretch of the highway was open in the middle to local traffic.

Point Sur State Historic Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park all remained closed as of Friday due to the Timber and Plaskett fires, according to the California Department of State Parks website.

All Los Padres National Forest roads, trails and campgrounds within the Timber Fire area were also closed.

A full list of impacted Los Padres forest areas is available at fs.usda.gov/r05/lospadres/alerts/timber-fire-area-road-and-trail-closure.

Plaskett Fire threatens structures

The Plaskett Fire was active all night with firefighters continuing to work on structure defense along Los Burros Road, according to a Sunday update by the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. Those operations were supported by night-flying aircraft.

Meanwhile, rocks rolling on Highway “remains a concern,” the agencies said.

According to the update, crews near Sand Dollar and Plaskett creeks “executed tactical firing operations overnight as the fire backed toward structures and residences.”

Crews maintained that perimeter near Plaskett Creek and then teams to the north installed hose lines. To the east, the fire reached the primary dozer line, resulting in “several slopovers into Fort Hunter Liggett.”

The military base on Saturday announced many of its rural roads and acreage were closed as firefighting operations were ongoing on the Plaskett Fire.

Ground teams conducted defensive firing near Los Burros Road to protect threatened homes and structures, the agencies said. They also identified a new spot fire nearby.

Sunday’s priorities include protecting residential areas along the Los Burros ridge and toward Alder Creek.

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“Operations will also continue to monitor the fire spread backing toward Highway 1 to improve protection for coastal structures,” the update said.

A reported 661 personnel are currently working on the fire.

How crews are fighting Timber Fire

To the north, the Timber Fire continues to burn and present “significant challenges” for firefighters.

In a Cal Fire update Saturday night, the agency said the Timber Fire “remains active, with flanking, uphill runs and isolated tree torching observed.”

“Steep terrain and heavy fuel loading continue to create significant challenges for suppression efforts,” Cal Fire said. “Firefighters have kept pace with the fire’s downhill movement toward Highway 1 near Pfeiffer State Park. Continued fire spread is expected toward the Lucia Range, South Fork Trail and northeast toward the Black Cone Trail.”

Overnight, the fire saw more activity in its southeastern corner near Partington Ridge as winds picked up, the multi-agency update Sunday said.

Night crews along the highway were able to “quickly extinguish and mop up hot spots, and overall the highway edge and the road into Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park looked good and cold,” the update said.

Sunday’s efforts will continue to focus on opening roads and containment lines from previews fires, with hotshot crews opening areas that dozers have been unable to reach.

“Hotshots are being support in remote areas by helicopter, including by line medics, who have been flown out to ensure that any injuries on the line receive quick care,” the update said.

The Los Padres National Forest also announced an emergency closure of lands in the Monterey Ranger District on Saturday — except for Pfeiffer Beach and Sycamore Canyon Road — “to protect public safety during the Timber and Plaskett Fires.”

The order will be in effect “until the Timber and Plaskett Fires are declared out.”

A new shelter for people affected by the Plaskett Fire was opened in Cambria on Friday night. The Veterans Building at 1000 Main St. had a capacity for 48 beds and was being run by the Red Cross.

Evacuation zones for Timber, Plaskett fires

The following zones were under evacuation orders for either the Timber or Plaskett fires as of Sunday morning. These are:

• MRY-D082
• MRY-D089
• MRY-D090
• MRY-D091
• MRY-F015-A
• MRY-F015-B
• MRY-F015-C
• MRY-F016
• MRY-F017
• MRY-F020
• MRY-F022
• MRY-F023-A
• MRY-F023-B
• MRY-F025
• MRY-F028-B
• MRY-F028-C
• MRY-F029
• MRY-F031
• MRY-F034
• MRY-F035
• MRY-F036
• MRY-F037
• MRY-G012-A
• MRY-G016

The following zones were under evacuation warnings as of Sunday:

• MRY-D078
• MRY-D084
• MRY-D085
• MRY-D086
• MRY-D088
• MRY-F014
• MRY-F027-B
• MRY-F028-A
• MRY-F028-D
• MRY-F030-A
• MRY-F030-B
• MRY-F031-B
• MRY-F032-A
• MRY-F032-B
• MRY-F033
• MRY-G011-A
• MRY-G012-B
• MRY-G015

This story was originally published August 30, 2026 at 10:37 AM with the headline “Wildfires burn more than 33,000 acres along CA’s Big Sur coast. See latest updates.”

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