08/19/2026
The Timber Fire began 8 Aug on the coast of Big Sur, Calif. Its slow-to-moderate growth moved toward Big Sur and surrounding communities. Evacuation warnings were issued on 9 Aug.
As fire activity increased, this was changed to an evacuation order early on 10 Aug, and a Temporary
Evacuation Point was opened at Big Sur Station on Hwy 1, where the Red Cross supplied comfort kits,
water, and snacks. Later that day, a shelter was opened by Monterey County at a local Middle School,
with the Red Cross as a supporting partner, providing supplies and some staffing.
As of this week, evacuation orders are turning to warnings and clients are starting to return home. "Winning, in the game of disaster response, is being put out of our job," jested Volunteer Information & Planning Coordinator Dave Crocker.
However, many of our volunteers are still on the job. Our priority remains supporting Monterey County and the Timber Fire shelter response, while maintaining readiness to respond wherever our communities need us next. We continue to monitor incident activity, stay closely connected with partners and leadership, and ensure our teams and resources remain ready for additional activations.
