Jul 25, 2008 1:40 pm US/Eastern
Residents, Campers Return To Big Sur After Fires
BIG SUR, Calif. (CBS) ―
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Two firefighters watch smoke from a wildfire in Big Sur earlier this month.
AP
The lifting of voluntary evacuations and the opening of Big Sur's popular central coast camping areas mean that tourists and locals can begin flocking back to one of California's popular destination spots.
The last piece of the containment line burned out Thursday in the Basin Complex Fire, tying in the containment perimeter and allowing the Monterey County Sheriff's Office to lift all voluntary evacuations and road closures Friday at 6 p.m.
The fire, which began June 21, was 79 percent contained as of 7 a.m. Friday and has burned 152,211 acres so far. There have been a total of nine injuries reported, and 26 houses and 32 other structures have been destroyed by the flames.
Fire crews will continue to work on the containment lines over the next few days, and expect to have the fire completely contained by Wednesday. The cost of suppressing the fire has reached $71.9 million.
Usually it's hard to find a spot to stay in Big Sur during July and August, but with many vacationers likely scared away by recent wildfires, opportunity knocks for tourists.
"Everything that we can open in our parks in Big Sur we are opening up to the public," said Matt Fuzie, District Superintendent of California State Parks Monterey District, who says the fires are now confined to remote areas.
Visitors will see burned areas driving along Highway 1, but 218 campsites at popular Pfeifer Big Sur State Park are now available.
Even if you made reservations seven months ago, Fuzie says they will still be honored.
In all, more than 2,000 fires statewide sparked by lightning from a June 20 thunderstorm that moved over California are over 98 percent contained, Cal Fire said Friday.
The fires have burned more than 1 million acres and involved the efforts of more than 12,000 firefighting personnel, including assistance from agencies across the state, nation and from several foreign countries, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire updates on all the major blazes currently burning throughout the state are available online at: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current.
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