Willow Fire: Good Weather Aiding Firefighters Near Big Sur; Containment Reaches 13%
BIG SUR, Monterey County (AP) — An influx of moist and cool ocean air was helping Wednesday as more than 500 firefighters worked to suppress a forest fire burning in California coastal mountains near a remote Buddhist monastery south of Big Sur.
The Willow Fire was 13% contained with just under 4.5 square miles (11.6 square kilometers) burned. Firefighters took advantage of the weather to continue improving lines, Los Padres National Forest said.
#WillowFire Update 6/23/21
— Los Padres NF (@LosPadresNF) June 23, 2021
Firefighters continue to take advantage of the favorable weather to contain the Willow Fire. The fire is 2,877 acres with 13% containment. Due to the difficult terrain, hot shot crews were flown in to go direct with fire suppression. pic.twitter.com/NPYA7F9VMS
The improved conditions were expected to continue for another day.
The fire is a threat to about 125 homes and other buildings including the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center.
Seven firefighting monks have been clearing brush and running a sprinkler system dubbed "Dharma rain," which helps keep moisture around the buildings, said Sozan Miglioli, president of San Francisco Zen Center, which operates the monastery.
"The blaze is about a mile away but we've been lucky with the weather, it has really cooled down," Miglioli said Tuesday.
In the Sierra Nevada, a wildfire in the Whitney Portal area was calm overnight after growing to more than 600 acres (243 hectares) but winds were a concern Wednesday, the Inyo National Forest said.
Whitney Portal is a major starting point for hikers climbing Mount Whitney, the tallest mountain in the contiguous United States.
© Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.