As of 3 pm on September 2, two large fires near the coast in the Big Sur area of Monterey County, Central California, have consumed an area of 54,077 acres. Among them, the Plaskett Fire has spread rapidly, leading to the closure of sections of Highway 1 in California.
The Plaskett Fire started on the morning of August 26 in the Los Padres National Forest near the 23S10 road east of Los Burros Road, and the cause of the fire remains unclear. This wildfire has become the second-largest wildfire in California in 2026.
By the morning of August 30, the area affected by the fire was 8,241 acres; by the morning of the 31st, it had skyrocketed to 15,479 acres, almost doubling in just one day; as of 2:48 pm on September 2, the fire has grown to 29,076 acres, doubling the burning area from the 31st, with only 1% of the area under control.
In statements released on Monday (31st) and Tuesday, the fire department stated that this rapidly spreading fire has reached areas that have not experienced wildfires for over 50 years, and the intense flames, steep terrain, and abundant flammable vegetation have severely hindered rescue and containment efforts.
The fire department has dispatched 41 fire engines, 15 water trucks, 12 helicopters, 6 bulldozers, and 26 ground firefighting teams, with a total of 955 rescue personnel involved.
Evacuation orders have been issued for 7 numbered areas in Monterey County, while 4 numbered areas and 3 numbered areas in San Luis Obispo County have received evacuation warnings.
California Highway 1 is closed from the 56-mile marker at Little Sur River in the north to the 0.09-mile marker north of the county line with San Luis Obispo in the south.
The Timber Fire, located about 25 miles north of the Plaskett Fire, started on August 8 for unknown reasons. The fire has currently ravaged an area of 25,001 acres, with a containment rate of 22%.
Compared to the Plaskett Fire, the Timber Fire is relatively stable at the moment, but the proximity of the two wildfires poses a serious threat. Evacuation orders have been issued for 20 numbered areas.
The fire department has deployed 170 fire engines, 35 water trucks, 41 helicopters, 43 bulldozers, 34 ground firefighting teams, and 137 other support personnel, totaling 2,016 rescue workers.
Evacuation shelters have been set up at the Carmel Mission Inn and the Cambria Veterans Memorial Building for the two fires.