California Highway 1 back open from Monterey to San Luis Obispo

The Soberanes Fire has grown to over 130,000 acres, but is now 96 percent contained, and California Highway 1 is now open through Big Sur from Monterey to San Luis Obispo.

The massive wildfire erupted at the end of July, and is attributed to an illegal campfire that was started in Garrapata State Park. The fire has burned 94,898 acres in the Los Padres National Forrest in Monterey County alone. There are 1,022 personnel tending to the fire fight on the ground and from the air.

On Tuesday, helicopters with infrared cameras identified hotspots in the Miller Creek and Calaboos Creek area. Hotshot crews were guided to those locations to extinguish the isolated flare-ups and will continue this type of work for the next couple of days, as warm dry weather moves through the area. These weather conditions according to CAL Fire will make hotspots more prominent and easier for firefighters to locate them.

The Monterey Ranger District of the Los Padres National Forest remains closed to public access.