Summit Fire Near Highway 17: Forward Progress Stopped
CAL FIRE CZU has reported that forward progress has been halted on a wildfire that ignited along Highway 17 near Summit Road. The fire burned approximately two acres before firefighting crews made significant headway in containing it.
Currently, power lines are down in the area, prompting Cal Fire to advise drivers to use alternate routes. Evacuations have been conducted in the Alta Vista area with assistance from the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Cal Fire is urging the public to avoid the vicinity as additional resources are expected to arrive to help extinguish the blaze. As of 8 p.m., the California Highway Patrol (CHP) announced that the right lane of southbound Highway 17 near Summit is closed due to the fire.
The CHP has emphasized that drivers should not stop to take photos of the flames, as there have been “near misses” with crashes in the area. The fire is visible from the Alert California Silver Mountain camera and KION’s Mount Toro camera.