There are 2 huge fires burning in Big Sur. One is 95% contained, the other is burning out of control and is only 5% contained. This last one is the one that is burning homes and threatening businesses. The Indians fire just south of Big Sur was started by a campfire that escaped. I read that it is 95% contained. That is all I know at the moment.

Big Sur is where we went camping, hiking and swimming when I was a little girl. We also took our girls hiking and camping there when they were growing up. We especially loved camping at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park at a camp site in the trees above the waterfall (from what I understand, this area is now burned). Scroll down to see the waterfall above the cove: http://www.pelicannetwork.net/jpb.statepark.htm

The large Big Sur fire was started by lightening. The Basin fire is the the Big Sur fire that is only 5% contained the last I heard. Here is a page that has a good map of the 2 fires (click on the map): http://www.kusp.org/fire/sur.html

Most of the fires in California have been started by lightening.

Joy