Fire at a glance (numbers)
- Incident Name: Plaskett Fire
- State: CA
- Lead Agency: LPF
- Size (acres): 15,478
- Percent Contained: 1%
- Estimate of Containment: October 1 , 2026
- Personnel: 897
- Structures Destroyed: 1
Plaskett, Los Padres NF, USFS. CIMT (CA Team 7) mobilizing. Thirty-four miles southwest of Big Sur, CA. Grass, timber and chaparral. Active fire behavior with uphill runs, flanking and single tree torching. Critical infrastructure threatened. Evacuations, area, road and trail closures in effect.
August 31, 2026 at 9:23 AM
The Plaskett Fire has burned about 15,479 acres and is only 1% contained. It grew fast, nearly doubling in size during the last operational period. It’s burning in steep, rugged terrain with thick vegetation, which makes it hard for ground crews to reach. The fire has been pushing toward Highway 1 and moving east into the interior, and there’s ongoing concern it could keep spreading south. Crews on the ground are focused on defending structures, building new containment lines, and reinforcing roads, ridgelines, and other natural barriers that can help stop the fire. Aircraft continue to assist with suppression whenever conditions allow.
For residents in the area, several evacuation zones have seen changes: zone MRY-F037 was upgraded from a Warning to a full Evacuation Order, and a new Evacuation Order was issued for MRY-G012-A. Evacuation Warnings are now in effect for zones MRY-F038, MRY-F039, MRY-G011-A, and MRY-G012-B. San Luis Obispo County also issued its first Evacuation Warnings tied to this fire, for zones SLC-001, SLC-002, and SLC-003 — marking the first time protective actions have extended into that county. The incident is being managed by California Interagency Incident Management Team 3 (CIIMT 3).
Highway 1 is closed in this area too, from mile marker 16.0 (just north of the Pacific Valley Ranger Station) on the north end down to mile marker 2.1 (just south of Salmon Creek) on the south end.