Old-growth trees lost on San Simeon Point when ember from prescribed burn sparks wildfire
Several old-growth trees were lost in a fire at iconic San Simeon Point Wednesday night when one ignited following prescribed burns in the area, officials said.
After two days of controlled burns, an ember caught in a cypress tree on the north side of the point around 8 or 9 p.m. Wednesday night, according to Ben Higgins, Hearst Ranch’s agricultural operations director.
About two to three acres burned.
Fortunately, he said, resources for fighting the fire were still in the area. Hearst Ranch employees working with a dozer, water truck and a tractor, “responded immediately and put another line around the fire area,” he said.
Cal Fire was called to the area about 10 p.m. and determined the fire was controlled by 11 p.m., a Cal Fire spokesperson said.
“We lost a few old-growth trees. But the tree line remains pretty much the same,” Higgins said, adding there should be no change to the views from Old San Simeon Village, the walking trail, the winery tasting room, the state park or Highway 1.
Hearst Ranch personnel and Cal Fire crews remained in the area Thursday morning to clean up and watch to make sure the blaze doesn’t reignite, Higgins said. Smoke may be visible.
Cal Fire told The Tribune Thursday morning that the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Higgins pointed to aggressive prescribed burns. He said the flare-up “is an unfortunate consequence to our ever-more aggressive approach to mitigating the fuel load and fire risk throughout the ranch. ... But in my mind, doing nothing about these very high fire loads is not an option.”
“We’d rather tackle these kinds of incidents when the conditions are in our favor,” he said, rather than during hot, dry months in late summer or early fall.
“Last night, we benefited significantly from cool temperatures, a lack of wind and relatively high humidity, advantages we wouldn’t have in the height of fire season,” Higgins said.
The ranch has had ongoing issues every year with illegal campers on San Simeon Point and multiple campfires requiring Cal Fire responses.
The point is vegetated with brush, Monterey pines, eucalyptus and rows of Monterey cypress trees. The area is posted as private property, but a hiking trail is open to the public.
This story was originally published February 27, 2020 at 10:18 AM with the headline "Old-growth trees lost on San Simeon Point when ember from prescribed burn sparks wildfire."
