Hot weather could delay Soberanes Fire containment

Soberanes Fire officials are concerned about warmer and drier weather conditions which could force them to push back their expected containment date again.

Officially, the September 30 containment date still stands, but officials concede they may not reach full containment until October.

“It needs to cool down some (and) humidities need to go up,” Elayn Briggs, a public information officer assigned to the fire told KION’s Matt Sizemore. “Those are the types of things we look at, as well as our fuels — both the dead fuels and the live fuels — and moisture content in them which are all very long right now in carrying fire.”

The Soberanes Fire is 60 percent contained and has burned nearly 158 square miles. It started July 22 and was caused by an illegal campfire.