Hwy 1 Stretch To Close Sunday Due To Soberanes Fire

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA – Several miles of state Highway 1 in Monterey County south of Point Sur will be closed for 15 hours starting this afternoon to help firefighters contain the Soberanes Fire, Cal Fire and Caltrans officials said.

The closure will begin at 2 p.m. from the Point Sur Lightstation to Coast Ridge Road, also known as North Coast Ridge Road.

The highway will be closed to all traffic and residents so firefighters can conduct firing operations, which will help firefighters protect a containment line, Cal Fire spokesman Daniel Potter said.

The operations will be conducted only if weather is favorable. The closure will be reevaluated regularly based on fire conditions and the threat to firefighters and the public.

The Soberanes Fire has killed one person and destroyed 57 homes. It is 60 percent contained, but grew another 2,000 acres since Thursday. Scorched acreage was recorded Saturday at 71,860.

Residents and visitors can get more information about the closure by calling (831) 204-0446 or by visiting the Facebook pages of either Cal Fire or the Los Padres National Forest.

• Also see: Man Crushed To Death By Car In Prunedale

Previous Soberanes Fire coverage:

• Soberanes Fire Day 21: Possible Closure Of Hwy 1 Looms [UPDATE]
• Soberanes Fire Day 20: Containment Holding Steady At 50%
• Soberanes Fire Day 19: Burned Acreage Grows Overnight; Containment Advances To 50% [UPDATE]
• Nestless and Rescued: Firefighter Uses Coffee Cup To Save Baby Bird From Smoky Soberanes Fire
• Clint Eastwood Visits Firefighters Battling Soberanes Fire
• Two Injured in Massive Soberanes Fire
• Dry Weather Causes Soberanes Fire to Spread
• UPDATED: Soberanes Fire Grows to 43,400 Acres, 18% Contained
• PG&E Crews to Begin Rebuilding Infrastructure Damaged by Soberanes Fire
• UPDATE: Soberanes Fire Grows to 40,000 Acres, 18% Contained
• Soberanes Fire Latest: Bulldozer Operator Identified, 31,386 Acres Burned
• Soberanes Fire Latest: Identity Of Bulldozer Operator Who Died Is Released, Community Meeting Set
• Soberanes Fire Latest: Fatality Reported, New Evacuation Orders
• Soberanes Fire Latest: Monterey County Fire Has Burned 19,311 Acres, Remains 10 Percent Contained
• Soberanes Fire: Monterey County Blaze Grows, State Parks Shut Down
• Monterey County Fire Has Burned 6,500 Acres; Only 5 Percent Contained

--Bay City News/Map via CalFire