Don't be alarmed or call 911 if you see Angel Island smoking, as CAL FIRE and other agencies resumed a prescribed burn on Wednesday, two weeks after the operation was paused.
The Plaskett Fire in Big Sur has grown by about 10,000 acres since Sunday, expanding to nearly 27,000 acres and surpassing the size of the Timber Fire burning about 35 miles to the north.
"A punch in the gut because this is our busiest month of the year," said one of the owners of a Big Sur landmark restaurant, forced to close again just a week after reopening as the Timber Fire and now the Plaskett Fire continue to rage.
According to Cal Fire, the Plaskett Fire is located about 40 miles south of the Timber Fire east of Plaskett, an unincorporated community along the coast. The fire, which was first reported around 11 a.m., has so far burned 100 acres.
The Timber Fire pushed deeper into the Ventana Wilderness early Monday morning, with firefighters preparing for more operations as the blaze moves through steep, rugged terrain in Monterey County.
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office downgraded three evacuation orders for areas north of the Timber Fire to evacuation warnings Tuesday afternoon.