Fire crews battle Timber Fire as weather conditions change; PG&E deploys safety crew.

Watching for rapidly changing weather conditions, firefighters are continuing suppression and structure protection efforts on the Timber Fire, which has reached 3,775 acres and is 5-percent contained, according to Cal Fire. Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the state are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.

Showers and thunderstorms, in addition to the marine layer, have been the primary weather concerns, according to Matt Mehle, a meteorologist with National Weather Service posted to the U.S. Forest Service on this incident. Some showers and thunderstorms did move over the fire today, according to Mehle.

Firefighters were temporarily removed from the top of the ridge for safety, but now reengaged, according to Josh Silveira, battalion chief with Cal Fire in Monterey County. There is continued potential for isolated showers and thunderstorms, and even where rainfall is limited, lightning and outflow winds could change fire behavior, according to federal officials. 

“The crews that are working the fire line along Coast Ridge Road, they’re seeing very dry conditions, much different weather than what firefighters are seeing on Highway 1,” Mehle said.   

The National Weather Service issued a special weather statement at 1:18pm on Wednesday, Aug. 12 tracking a line of strong thunderstorms extending from over Big Sur Village south to near the Esalen Institute (11 miles northwest of Lucia), moving northeast at 5 mph.

“If dry lightning occurs, it is likely to result in additional fire starts,” according to the Weather Service. “Thunderstorm chances diminish after Thursday with drier conditions to prevail into next week.”

A total of 503 structures are threatened; no damage to structures has been reported. Highway 1 is closed from Fernwood Resort at the north end and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park Vista Point (Mile Post Marker 31) at the south end. There is no re-entry into zones that are under evacuation orders.

PG&E deployed 13 people and five engines with its Safety and Infrastructure Protection Team (SIPT) to protect power poles and distribution lines in the area of the fire, with an extra emphasis along Highway 1 on the southern end of the fire.

So far, PG&E has treated 60 poles by clearing surrounding vegetation and spraying them with fire retardant so that they are less likely to burn. One pole has been damaged thus far.

“For every pole that we save, it saves the ratepayer and the company about $35,000,” says Ian Larkin, SIPT manager.

Evacuation orders remain for five zones in Big Sur: MRY-F023, MRY-F025, MRY-F026, MRY-F027, MRY-F028-A. Sign up for alerts and view an interactive map at readymontereycounty.org/emergency/alerts.