Highway 1 through Big Sur will reopen Saturday afternoon, allowing public access to the scenic coastal route for the first time in over two weeks. The reopening comes as firefighters gain significant ground on the Timber Fire, which has been burning in Monterey County for more than 16 days.
Cal Fire Operations Section Chief Mike Wink announced the road's impending reopening at a briefing, stating that the public would be able to access the area later that afternoon. While a section of the highway between Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park is expected to remain closed for several more days, other key areas will be accessible.
Hotels, restaurants, and other local businesses began reopening their doors on Thursday and Friday, with more expected to resume operations on Saturday as officials ease restrictions. The Timber Fire has scorched more than 7,500 acres and remains 29% contained, according to state tracking data. Firefighters have focused efforts on containing the blaze along the iconic roadway, utilizing aircraft to deploy water and retardant.
The fire is pushing northeast into the Los Padres National Forest, presenting challenges in the rugged terrain. Overnight intelligence flights have identified two new areas of increased fire activity on the eastern flank of the blaze. However, crews have managed to keep the fire's intensity low as it approaches the Big Sur River. "We have low-intensity fire that’s slowing backing down to the Big Sur River," Wink said. "We’re keeping that intensity low and getting it down to the water’s edge."
Power has also been restored to parts of Big Sur, with PG&E crews replacing burned electrical poles and wires. Earlier in the week, evacuation orders were lifted for three of the five areas that had been affected. Notably, the Timber Fire, the third-largest wildfire in California this year, has resulted in zero structural damage and no reported injuries or fatalities.