Thoughts from travels around every corner and meeting of a burning Big Sur.

Big Sur resident and Weekly contributor Gabe Skvor moved through the valley Monday and Tuesday, getting a lay of the land and facts on the ground. Below are some of his notes and reflections, listed chronologically. More at www.mcweekly.com/bigsurfire.

• I was scared in 2008. I’m scared now.

• People who weren’t evacuated are offering places to stay for those who have been, businesses are “evacuating” tourists and opening up their kitchens and beds to locals in need, and skilled men and women getting into the face of the fire to fight it where they can, objects of hope and good nature against the force of fire.

• Devastating news is coming in steadily, but every moment it seems like someone is reminding us we’re all in this together.

• Started the morning waking up after a restless night of sleep to see the trees standing still in the distance. This was a welcome sight.

• Everyone who lives in Big Sur seems exhausted.

• There is barely anybody on the road, aside from people needing to get from one place or another, or emergency services.

• Stopped at the Big Sur Deli and ran into people living on Pfeiffer Ridge who had their homes saved. Ran into others who lost everything, even one local who lost a colony of bees.

• Monterey photographer Michelle Magdalena Maddox drove down in her VW Beetle, which was filled with bags filled with fruit, veggies, and non-perishable items. I was offered a pear.

• With smoke in the air and ash raining down, an Australian couple – driving a rented Mustang – walked up to us, oblivious of what was transpiring, and asked where they could find a good place to hike.

• Drove into Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park to find that the softball field had been turned into a Cal Fire staging area. At least ten – what look like 10-by-20 feet – bungalow trailers were set up, each designated as various command stations.

• Driving to the meeting, I was met with a line of cars stopped and growing just south of the entrance to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Turns out the hold-up was caused by a burning tree in the road.

• With food, familiar faces, and helping hands from all directions, the holding pattern remains bearable. Hope the wind holds off.