Crews making progress on Big Sur fire that has scorched more than 25,000 acres
The Dolan Fire near Big Sur has grown to 25,587 acres as of Saturday morning, according to a U.S. Forest Service update.
Over 1,000 firefighters have made good progress along the north, west, and south perimeters, according to U.S. Forest Service. Containment is now at 20%, officials said in a Saturday morning report.
Good progress was made along McWay Ridge, and the fire held around the Twin Peak area on the southeast edge. The east perimeter grew overnight and progressed past Lost Valley Creek, according to the update.
The fire still threatens to burn towards the west side of the highway via drainages and underpasses, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Patrolling and working the fire along the highway remains a priority, crews will patrol Highway 1 and work to contain more of the perimeter along the highway, according to the update.
The fire poses a risk to multiple businesses, parks, recreational sites, and communication infrastructure as well as the communities of Hermitage and Lucia in the south, and Partington Ridge in the north, the U.S. Forest Service said.
Among natural resources threatened are the Ventana Wilderness, coastal watershed and habitat for threatened and endangered species, including the California condor.
Over 80% of the nation’s incident management teams and wildland firefighting personnel are committed to incidents, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Fires have burned over 3.9 million acres with over 1.2 million acres burned in California alone.
Smoke outlook for Central Coast fires
Over the weekend smoke conditions throughout the forecast area are predicted to see good to unhealthy air quality. Intensity of the smoke will continue to depend on the activity of the fires in and around the forecast area. Air quality may change unexpectedly.
Evacuation orders, warnings for River and Carmel fires lifted
All evacuation warnings and orders were lifted for the River Fire near Salinas and the Carmel Fire in Carmel Valley by Friday morning, according to Cal Fire.
How to help fire victims
The Community Foundation for Monterey County created a Monterey County Fire Relief Fund to help those affected by the Dolan, River and Salinas fires. Donations can be made online, via phone at 831-375-9712 or by mail at Community Foundation for Monterey County, 2354 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940. (Make checks payable to the foundation and note “Monterey County Fire Relief,” “Carmel Valley Relief” or “Big Sur Relief” in the memo line.)
Supplies can also be donated directly at Seaside High School, 2200 Noche Buena St. in Seaside, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
The Ventana Wildlife Society is also collecting monetary donations to rebuild the condor release and research facilities that were destroyed by the Dolan Fire. The nonprofit’s goal is to raise $500,000 to rebuild the sanctuary for the endangered birds, according to the society’s website.
Additional volunteer and donation information can be found at MontereyCo.Recovers.org.
This story was originally published August 29, 2020 at 11:46 AM with the headline "Crews making progress on Big Sur fire that has scorched more than 25,000 acres."