Firefighters are battling to contain a wildfire that erupted near Big Sur last week, as the flames continue to engulf the dry California landscape and threaten historical sites, cabins, and ranches.
The fire is one of dozens of wildfires burning in hot, dry conditions across the US west, including in Arizona and New Mexico.
In Monterey county, the so-called Willow fire has burned more than 2,400 acres since it broke out on Thursday evening. Roughly 450 firefighters face the difficult task of trying to contain the large forest fire in the rugged coastal mountains south of Big Sur. The blaze remained at 0% containment as of Monday morning and forced the evacuation of a Buddhist monastery and nearby campground.
There's a new update on https://t.co/kt3Dabyelq. We are deeply grateful for the 300+ firefighters who are working to keep the #WillowFire at bay as shown in this short video taken from the parking lot. #Tassajara pic.twitter.com/IDDmvGLYWJ
— San Francisco Zen Center (@sfzc) June 20, 2021
The area is also home to endangered species and contains cultural sites that could be at risk if the fire continues to grow, and the Los Padres national forest resource advisors have brought in biologists, botanists, and Chumash tribal members to aid in protecting sensitive areas.
“We have to take our time accessing these areas because we can’t get the equipment in there,” said Amanda Munsey, a public information officer with California interagency incident management team 11. “Weather is also a big factor,” she adds, “and it has been very hot for a number of days – and very dry.”
Hundreds have been ordered to evacuate the mountainous area, including most of those at the Tassajara Mountain Zen Center, a historic Zen Buddhist monastery. Some monks who are part of a trained fire crew stayed behind to assist in the firefight.
“The ZMC fire crew will remain in order to run ‘Dharma Rain’ [Tassajara’s sprinkler system] and to prepare the monastery in case the fire reaches the valley,” the center posted on its website on Sunday.
“Tassajara has been working on special fire prep projects during the pandemic shutdown and the fire crew has been in place and training for several months. Our water supplies are good and we are well prepared for this situation.”
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The latest wildfire comes as the American West is gripped by a historic drought, and as officials predict another record-breaking fire season. A heatwave has baked the region, intensifying drought conditions and ignition risks much earlier in the year than normal. Already this year, 33 large fires have burned more than 372,000 acres across 10 states, according to the National Interagency Fire Center.
“Right now, in June, the dryness and the fuel conditions – it is what we would expect in August,” says Munsey. “It is alarming but it is beyond our control. So we have prepared as best as we can.”
There’s hope that cooler weather, expected with higher humidity across the Bay Area in the coming days, will help slow the flames, but there are concerns that winds along the ridges will continue to drive the fire and complicate containment efforts. But with so many fires already burning across the west, resources have been strained.
Source: Yahoo News
