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Evacuation Orders Issued as Plaskett Fire Spreads in Big Sur

8/29/2026

Summary

CalFire Orders Evacuations

CalFire officials ordered evacuations in Big Sur as the Plaskett Fire spread.
The Plaskett Fire burned about 140 acres and had no containment as of Thursday.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an immediate evacuation order for zone MRY-F036.
The Timber Fire burned more than 23,000 acres, becoming California’s third-largest wildfire this year.
CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Josh Silveira warned of a red-flag threat with 40-50 mph outflow winds.

Summary

California Secures Funding

California secured a $4 million federal contribution for three new vegetation-management agreements with the U.S. Forest Service.
AB 2700, passed unanimously, requires the CPUC to develop full restitution pathways for wildfire victims caused by PG&E.
The Fire Victim Trust has paid $13.72 billion but remains $5-6 billion short of total claims.
California has spent nearly $0.5 billion in grants for wildfire resilience on federal lands since Gov. Newsom took office.

History

Historical Context

In November 2003 the Cedar Fire burned 273,000 acres in San Diego County, prompting Governor Gray Davis to allocate $1.2 billion and CAL FIRE to deploy 1,200 crews. The disaster spurred California’s fuel-reduction policies, a trajectory echoed in today’s Plaskett and Timber Fires and reflected in AB 2700. Cedars have supplied prized timber for over 4,000 years.

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CalFire Orders Evacuations

CalFire officials ordered evacuations in Big Sur as the Plaskett Fire spread.
The Plaskett Fire burned about 140 acres and had no containment as of Thursday.
Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an immediate evacuation order for zone MRY-F036.
The Timber Fire burned more than 23,000 acres, becoming California’s third-largest wildfire this year.
CAL FIRE Battalion Chief Josh Silveira warned of a red-flag threat with 40-50 mph outflow winds.

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