Dolan Fire near Big Sur nears 30,000 acres with warmer, drier weather on the way
The Dolan Fire near Big Sur has spread about 1,000 acres a day this week, burning nearly 30,000 acres as of Tuesday morning, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The 29,550-acre fire has continued to grow into the Ventana Wilderness area where a California condor research facility was destroyed.
Hot shot crews were flown into the wilderness area Tuesday to begin constructing a containment line on the fire’s edge, the U.S. Forest Service reported.
The fire, which is believed to have been started on Aug. 18 by arson near Dolan Canyon, was 25% contained as of Tuesday.
Highway 1 from Gorda to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park remains closed, according to CalTrans.
Firefighters reported that overnight fire activity was minimal and a marine layer hanging over the coastline Tuesday was expected to reduce fire activity below 1,200 feet in elevation, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
However, above the marine fog, warmer and windier conditions were expected, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The U.S. Forest Service said it expects warmer temperature and lower humidity in the next few days as a ridge of pressure builds over California.
While the marine layer provided cooler weather, firefighters were expected to fight along the North Coast Ridge, the forest service said.
Along the southern edge, firefighters were continuing to construct a containment line around the Heritage community.
The U.S. Forest Service reported that overnight crews were able to reinforce containment lines in the Partington area.
The Lucia, Parington and Big Creek areas have been under evacuation orders for more than a week, and as of Monday, the Prewitt Ridge Area, south of Lucia, was also ordered to evacuate.
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued a notice around 1 p.m. Monday saying that the area south of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, west of South Coast Ridge to Prewitt Ridge including Alms Ridge needed to evacuate due to fire activity and a wind shift.
North of the Dolan Fire, the River Fire near Salinas and the Carmel Fire in Carmel Valley were both nearly 100% contained as of Tuesday, with full containment expected by Sunday for both fires.
The River Fire burned 48,088 acres and destroyed 30 structures as of Tuesday. The fire was 96% contained, Cal Fire reported.
The 6,905-acre Carmel Fire was 98% contained as of Tuesday morning, according to Cal Fire.
All evacuation orders near the Carmel and River Fires were lifted as of Tuesday morning.
