A visually stunning stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur has reopened to travelers after a 12-day closure, even as firefighters continue to battle the persistent Timber fire.
“Highway 1 has been fully reopened,” even as public safety workers continue to make road improvements, Cal Fire saidSaturday afternoon.
The fire started Aug. 9 in the Los Padres National Forest southeast of the Loma Vista neighborhood, quickly scorching 400 acres and prompting evacuation orders, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. It now covers more than 7,500 acres, Cal Fire said Saturday.
Pacific Coast Highway was closed to nonresidents from Point Sur Lighthouse to Vista Point, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Many of the affected businesses affected by the road closure have a long history in the region.
Nepenthe, known for its legendary clifftop views, has been in operation since 1949 and features a log cabin that is more than a century old. The Alila Ventana Big Sur resort is 51 years old, while the Post Ranch Inn sits on the former homestead of the Post pioneer family who settled in the region in the 1860s.
“We are absolutely stoked to be reopened and welcoming everyone onto the terrace” overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Nepenthe hostess Faith Sassepp said on a phone call as a helicopter roared in the background. Locals and travelers are back, she said, after a closure that lasted nearly 12 days.
Alila Ventana resort was evacuated and remains closed, a representative said. The Post Ranch Inn is set to reopen on Wednesday and was “under no imminent threat,” the hotel said on Instagram.
Firefighters continue a battle against the blaze that includes use of helicopter water drops and retardant, Cal Fire said.
The blaze was 29% contained on Saturday, according to the Watch Duty fire tracking platform.
California State Parks says that Point Sur State Historic Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park remained closed.
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