Dolan Fire near Big Sur expected to grow as Labor Day weekend heat wave approaches
The Dolan Fire near Big Sur grew several hundred acres to reach 31,901 acres as of Friday, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The wildfire remained at 40% containment Friday with no increase in containment in the last 24 hours.
Firefighters were preparing for increased fire activity and increased traffic near the fire because a heat wave is expected to sweep over California during Labor Day weekend.
According to the U.S. Forest Service, the Dolan Fire has mostly grown in the south and east directions — spreading further into the Ventana Wilderness area, where a condor research facility was destroyed by flames. Two missing California condor chicks were found alive in the area on Wednesday.
As of Wednesday morning, the Partington area on the north end of the fire was no longer under an evacuation order, but a warning remained in place. Only Partington residents were permitted in the area.
Evacuation orders continued Friday for the Dolan Ridge, Lucia and Prewitt Ridge areas, according to the Monterey County Office of Emergency Services.
Highway 1 also remained closed Friday from Gorda to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, according to Caltrans.
On Friday, crews were working to build containment lines along the fire’s south and east edge as well as bolstering containment lines along McWay Rigde in the north, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
Improved visibility due to a burn off of the marine layer Friday was expected to allow for additional helicopter support, the forest service reported.
Firefighters have also continued to focus on protecting structures along Highway 1, in the Partington area north, and in the Lucia and Hermitage areas to the south.
The Dolan Fire is believed to have been started August. 18 by arson.
Full containment of the wildfire is expected Sept. 16, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
While 100% containment of the fire near Big Sur is weeks away, the two other fires in Monterey County were nearly fully contained Friday morning.
Cal Fire reported that both the 48,088-acre River Fire near Salinas and the 6,905-acre Carmel Fire in Carmel Valley were 98% contained as of Friday morning. Both fires were expected to reach full containment Sunday.
