California is burning out: High Fire Danger in Big Sur, Evacuations Ordered

by Luiz Castro | July 3, 2008 at 09:17 pm | 462 views | 2 comments

The lightning-sparked fire in the Los Padres National Forest grew overnight by more than 8,000 acres, to 64,000 acres, and remains only 3 percent contained

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A wildfire eating through rugged country along the Big Sur coast destroyed at least three more homes overnight and this morning, bringing to 19 the number of residences consumed by a blaze that has forced the evacuation of this world-famous enclave for the Fourth of July weekend.

The homes were on a private road that snakes up a hillside above the Ventana Inn and Spa on the east side of Highway 1 in Big Sur. They were among the residences that authorities ordered evacuated Wednesday after the 12-day-old Basin Complex Fire jumped fire lines and headed toward the main settlement of Big Sur.

The lightning-sparked fire in the Los Padres National Forest grew overnight by more than 8,000 acres, to 64,000 acres, and remains only 3 percent contained.

A massive, out-of-control wildfire bearing down on the scenic coastal town of Big Sur was exhibiting "extreme fire behavior" that had authorities fearing for nearly 1,800 homes and businesses in its path and ordering residents to get out.

An explosive wildfire is ravaging the hillsides above Big Sur, California, leaving the popular tourist region mostly deserted ahead of the holiday weekend.

Still, some people are defying orders to evacuate. They're staying behind to try to save their homes and businesses from the blaze, which has burned 100 square miles of the Los Padres National Forest and destroyed at least 17 homes.

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Barbara McPherson

at 13:25 on July 4th, 2008

good stuff:

lfcastro, I like this story. It's good stuff. I wonder if these fires are a harbinger of things to come.

kurtkamm

at 14:46 on July 4th, 2008

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I suggest you start a daily column about fire in CA. I live in <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Malibu and am a wildland fire expert. We have had some ferocious fires here every year. Each year the fires are coming earlier, getting worse, and lasting longer. Soon we will have a full12 month fire season. Each year we hear, "unusually dry season, low rainfall, etc." That's the norm! The fire services are doing all they can, but there is still a terrible loss of property. There are several basic issues-
/>Accumulated brush which hasn't burned in 20 years
/> Increased development on the urban-wildland interface
/>Everyone everywhere expects full (free) fire protection at no cost
/>Climate changes
/>Lunatics who think it would be fun to set something on fire.

It aint gonna be pretty
Kurt Kamm
kurt@OneFootInTheBlack.com