Firefighters rushed to contain the fast-growing Plaskett Fire on Saturday as it surged past 8,200 acres by early evening, putting homes in the scenic Big Sur area at risk.
The fire was still 0% contained after expanding by more than 2,000 acres since the morning.
Monterey County officials are urging Gov. Gavin Newsom to issue an emergency declaration, a move they say would unlock additional support for crews battling the blaze.
“That would help us get more resources to this fire,” Monterey County Supervisor Kate Daniels told KSBW. “I think, in my opinion, it qualifies as an emergency. I think an emergency should be declared.”
Hotter, drier conditions and gusty afternoon winds helped drive the flames, while officials braced for winds to shift toward the northeast overnight.
The fire remained active Saturday near Jade Cove, where crews worked to reinforce containment lines around South Coast Road and monitored a roughly 2-acre spot where flames had jumped a fire line.
Firefighters concentrated on defending homes along Plaskett Ridge Road and Los Burros Road by clearing brush, preparing structures, stretching hose lines and staging engines nearby.
Crews also carried out strategic burns to remove vegetation between the main fire and nearby homes, while continuing to cool hot spots along the fire’s perimeter.
Helicopters and air tankers were dropping water when conditions allow.
At least one structure has been reported destroyed, according to the USForest Service firefighters.
Firefighters called it an outbuilding, according to KSBW.
Highway 1 has also been shut down for nearly 54 miles, from south of the Little Sur River at Mile Marker 56 to south of Salmon Creek at Mile Marker 2.1.
The southern closure point was moved from Mile Marker 10.1 near Gorda to Mile Marker 2.1, extending the shutdown by about 8 miles.
The highway will remain closed until further notice.
Evacuation orders are in effect for MRY-F034, MRY-F035, MRY-F036, MRY-F037, MRY-G012-A and MRY-G016.
Officials say anyone who needs extra time to evacuate, along with people with pets or livestock, should leave now.
The wildfire surged as the nearby Timber Fire had grown to nearly 25,000 acres as of early Saturday evening.
