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As Hwy 1 Closes, Visitors Urged to Stay Away From Big Sur Due to Timber Fire
As the Timber Fire in the mountains of Big Sur above Highway 1 grows, tourists are being asked to reconsider travel to the region.
Aug 10, 2026
Updated 5:52 pm PT
Carly Severn
Fog lingers off the coast of Highway 1 on Saturday, May 30, 2026. The highway reopened in January following a three-year closure for landslide repairs. Hwy 1 through Big Sur remains open as of Monday morning, but due to the Timber Fire, visitors to Big Sur are being urged not to travel to the region. (Myung J. Chun/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
Visitors to Big Sur are being urged not to travel to the region after a wildfire forced mandatory evacuation ordersin the area on Sunday
The Timber Fire, which grew sharply in size overnight to over 1,7000 acres and is 5% contained, is burning in what Monterey County officials describe as “steep, rugged and difficult terrain”in the Los Padres National Forest above Highway 1
This coastal stretch is home to many of Big Sur’s most popular hotels, restaurants and campgrounds, as well as state parks. On Monday afternoon, over 10 miles of Highway 1 through the area was closed to everyone except for local residents and employees
“We are respectfully asking the public to stay out of the area,” the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday morning Facebook post
“Roadways must remain clear so first responders can work safely and effectively. Unnecessary traffic and sightseeing in the fire zone create hazards for emergency crews and slow down critical operations.”
The evacuation order has forced the closure of several Big Sur businesses and attractions on and around Highway 1, including Nepenthe, and the evacuation of guests from hotels, including Deetjen’s Big Sur Innand the Alila Ventana hotel and campground
Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Parkand Pfeiffer Big Sur State Parkare also both currently closeddue to the threat from the Timber Fire
Announcing its temporary closure in an Instagram post, the Henry Miller Memorial Library wrote: “We implore you: Do not come to Big Sur.”
“This is an incredibly serious situation,” the library said. “Fewer cars on the road allow CalFire and emergency services to do their job as effectively and safely as possible.”
Stretches of the coast to the north and south of the mandatory evacuation zone are also currently under an evacuation warning — the step that comes before an evacuation order, which acts as a warning to residents that they may need to evacuate soon
Advice for visitors to Big Sur right now
See Monterey, the region’s tourism body, is advising visitors to the affected areas of Big Sur to “follow evacuation instructions, take essential belongings and medications, and bring their pets.”
According to See Monterey, several hotels throughout Monterey County are now also “offering evacuation rates for residents and visitors in need,” through a spreadsheet of available lodgings
As of Monday, Highway 1 is closed between Point Sur Lighthouse and Vista Point (near mile marker 37.5). “Travelers heading to Monterey County from the southg Highway 101 North,” the organization said
This year’s Monterey Car Week, which organizers say draws over 100,000 visitors every year, is currently ongoing north of Big Sur through Sunday.
