Plaskett Fire erupts near Big Sur, triggering evacuation orders

A wildfire burning in rugged terrain along the Big Sur coast has triggered evacuation orders Wednesday as crews rush air and ground resources to southern Monterey County. 

Read more Another dramatic rockfall in Zion National Park begs the question: Why now?

The Plaskett Fire was listed at 40 acres as of 3:03 p.m. with no reported containment, according to Cal Fire, after officials previously estimated the blaze had grown to 80 acres with a moderate rate of spread. The fire started around 11 a.m. near Forest Road 23S10, east of Los Burros Road near Plaskett, and its cause remains under investigation. 

An evacuation order was issued for a large area north of Los Burros Road.

The fire is burning in “very difficult terrain that is hard to access,” Cal Fire officials said. Crews from the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire and local agencies are working to establish containment lines, with Hotshot crews trying to reach the fire’s edge.

Six helicopters were assigned to the fire, and eight air tankers were requested to assist with retardant drops. A helibase was also established, with helicopters drawing water from the Pacific Ocean.

A Cal Fire strike team was sent to Los Burros Road to assist around 30 residents and prepare homes for structure defense. Initial mapping showed five to eight structures could be threatened along Los Burros Road.

Read more Dozens remain at Calif. rescue where 138 dogs found dead, 700 missing

The fire is burning within Los Padres National Forest, which has jurisdiction over the incident. No incident management team had been assigned as of Wednesday afternoon.

This is the second active wildfire burning in Monterey County. The Timber Fire, which has burned through Big Sur since Aug. 8, has surpassed 18,000 acres and was 23% contained as of Wednesday.