Heads up, drivers: Vegetation fire on Hwy. 101 backs up traffic in SLO County
Update, 3:50 p.m.:
According to the CHP traffic page, the No. 1 southbound lane was reopened to traffic while the No. 2 lane remained blocked off for fire personnel as of 3:39 p.m.
As of 3:50 p.m., southbound traffic was still crawling as far north as Atascadero, according to the CHP page.
Original story:
A vegetation fire reported in northern San Luis Obispo County along Highway 101 bottled up traffic on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the California Highway Patrol’s Traffic Incident Information Page, at around 2:55 p.m., a vegetation fire was reported on the roadside near Highway 58.
By 3 p.m., traffic was reportedly stopped heading southbound on Highway 101, with the delay stretching farther north.
Cal Fire was en route as of 3:03 p.m., and was coordinating with CHP to help with traffic as of 3:10 p.m., according to emergency scanner traffic.
According to the scanner traffic, the fire reached two acres at 3:14 p.m., growing at a moderate rate of spread, with potential to burn five acres.
One structure in the area was threatened by the fire as it spread across lanes, according to the scanner.
Air attack units joined fire engines and tankers at around 3:14 p.m.
This story was originally published September 17, 2025 at 3:24 PM.
