Smoke From Soberanes Fire Blankets Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) – The smell of smoke wafted over San Francisco Friday as haze from the massive Soberanes Fire near Big Sur blanketed the Bay Area, triggering a Share the Air alert.
The fire, which was ignited by an illegal campfire on the morning of July 22, has scorched more than 81,000 acres and was 60 percent contained early Friday.
According to Cal Fire, an evacuation order remains in effect for Coast Ridge Rd. from mile marker 1.5 to Marble Peak at the end of the road.
According to U.S. Forest Service spokesman Joe English, his agency was taking command of the efforts to fight the blaze as it has burned nearly 42,000 acres of the Los Padres National Forest.
The National Guard has also assigned 350 of its personnel to help battle the fire including several hand crews.
Another 38,000 acres of California wildland in Carmel Valley, Cachagua and Big Sur have also burned. The firefighting efforts in those areas are being handled by Cal Fire crews.
The fire has destroyed 57 homes with Cal Fire estimating full containment by Sept. 30.
