Big Sur Fire Photos Basin Complex Fire

Photos of the Big Sur Wildfires of 2008

The 2008 'Basin Complex Fire,' sparked by summer lightning, swept northward through the Los Padres National Forest forcing evacuations from Partington Ridge and Limekiln State Park in the south, to Palo Colorado Canyon Road in the north.

Big Sur Fire seen from Post Ranch Resort - Zoom

Air Tanker Drops Fire Retardant near Andrew Molera State Park- Zoom

Flage above the Big Sur Cattle Ranch

Fire Engines at Nepenthe Restaurant and Phoenix Shop

As of Wednesday, July 1st, the Basin Complex Fire is only 3% contained, and the fire has burned nearly 74 square miles according to the U.S. Forest Service, and is close to merging with the Indians Fire which has been burning since June 5th. Coastal Highway 1 remains closed just south of Nepenthe Restaurant, closing the Deetjens Big Sur Inn, The Henry Miller Library, and the Esalen Institute.

Tourist related businesses in the area have been especially hard-hit according to the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, with intermittent closures of The Ventana Inn, Post Ranch Inn, and Nepenthe Restaurant.

Helicopter picks up water at Andrew Molera State Park Beach - Zoom

Fires near Ventana Campground

Fire Trucks line up at Palo Colorado Canyon Road seen from Rocky Point

Tanker helicopter takeoff near Point Sur Lighthouse - Zoom

Air Tankers battle Big Sur Fire near Marble Cone Peak - Zoom

Helicopter water drop above Old Coast Road

Tanker helicopter above the Ventana Inn

Community briefing at Big Sur Ranger Station

Day 5: Smoke and fog hang over Highway 1

Water pickup at the Post Ranch Inn

Air Tanker flyover at the Post Ranch Inn

Fire sweeps through Big Sur River Gorge - Zoom

Water dropping helicopters que up for a water drop

A nervous deer watches as tankers fly overhead

Tanker drops fire-retardant along the Old Coast Road

Dangerous work - a helicopter makes a water pickup in the Big Sur River Gorge - Zoom

Smoke and haze hang over Pico Blanco at sunset

Aftermath - the view from Nepenthe Restaurant - Zoom

Thursday, July 3rd: Big Sur residents await fire update at Red Cross emergency evacuation center in Carmel Valley

Red Cross fire update at the Carmel Middle School's Red Cross evacuation center

Big Sur 'color' - evacuee at the Carmel Middle School