The Plaskett Fire has swelled past 8,200 acres with zero containment, forcing highway closures and evacuation orders across California’s Big Sur coast.
The blaze exploded by more than 2,000 acres between Saturday morning and early evening, CAL FIRE officials reported, as crews fought to protect scattered homes along Plaskett Ridge Road and Los Burros Road. Firefighters spent Saturday clearing brush, laying hose, positioning engines and preparing buildings for potential overrun.
Monterey County Supervisor Kate Daniels pressed Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state emergency and surge additional resources to the firefight. “That would help us get more resources to this fire,” Daniels told KSBW. “I think, in my opinion, it qualifies as an emergency. I think an emergency should be declared.”
Hotter, drier conditions and stiff afternoon winds drove the rapid expansion, and incident commanders braced for winds to shift northeast overnight. Crews remained active around Jade Cove, strengthening fire lines near South Coast Road and checking a roughly two-acre spot where flames had breached an established line.
Firefighters were also conducting tactical burns between the main body of the fire and threatened homes, while cooling hot spots along the fire’s edge. Helicopters and air tankers attacked from above when weather and visibility allowed.
The U.S. Forest Service confirmed at least one destroyed structure, which KSBW reported firefighters described as an outbuilding. No residential damage totals have been released.
Highway 1, the scenic coastal artery, remained shut down across nearly 54 miles. The closure stretched from south of the Little Sur River at Mile Marker 56 to south of Salmon Creek at Mile Marker 2.1, after officials extended the southern endpoint from Mile Marker 10.1 near Gorda. The additional eight miles of shutdown brought the total closed distance to roughly 54 miles, and transportation officials said the highway would stay closed until further notice.
Evacuation orders covered six designated zones: MRY-F034, MRY-F035, MRY-F036, MRY-F037, MRY-G012-A and MRY-G016. Authorities specifically urged residents needing extra time to leave, along with those with pets or livestock, to evacuate immediately rather than waiting for mandatory orders.
The Plaskett Fire’s surge came as the separate Timber Fire burning nearby had grown to nearly 25,000 acres by early Saturday evening, stretching regional firefighting resources across Monterey County.