Wildfire Near Big Sur Destroys 57 Homes

Crews continued to battle a massive wildfire near California’s Big Sur that is threatening thousands of homes as another one broke out in Fresno County and quickly spread, prompting the evacuation of 300 homes near dry, rolling hills.

A strike team from the San Diego Fire Department has joined a Cal Fire strike team and more than 5,000 firefighters working to stop the Soberanes Fire near Big Sur in Northern California.

The fire is burning in an area with many dead trees, Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Berlant said. It’s 15 percent contained.

A auto destroyed by the Soberanes fire in Big Sur, Calif. Lodge managers and cafe owners there are facing cancelled bookings after fire officials warned that crews will likely be battling the fire for another month.

More than 500 fire trucks along with 14 helicopters and six air tankers have been deployed to fight the blaze.

“It’s good in a way, but it means there will be more acreage burning”, Lara said.

The blaze, which started last Friday, has roared through almost 32,000 acres (13,000 hectares) of drought-parched chaparral, grass and timber into the Los Padres National Forest.

Palo Colorado, Robinson Canyon Road and Weston Ridge roads at Highway 1 were closed. Much of the effort is focused on halting the advance of flames in the direction of Big Sur communities, he said.

About 40 homes were threatened earlier Friday in the dry, high desert of the Sierra Nevada where temperatures exceeded 100 degrees about 30 miles north of Reno.

Mandatory evacuation orders for all of Carmel Highlands were lifted Friday afternoon.

A wildfire on the central California coast has burned more than 38,000 acres and could continue throughout August.

On Saturday, slightly cooler weather and overnight fog slowed the fire somewhat, according to CalFire, the state agency in charge of fighting wildfires.

U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Lisa Swinney says investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.

57 homes have been destroyed. If you would like to discuss another topic, look for a relevant article.

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