Monterey County Archives

Locals help evacuate animals from Central Coast wildfires

August 23, 2020 11:47 PM Elisha Machado

As Central coast wildfires continue to rage, people and animals are being forced to flee their homes. But a group of locals is sending…

Red Flag warning for dry lightning, erratic winds issued through 5 p.m. Monday

August 23, 2020 1:10 PM Jesus Reyes

Officials are asking residents to be prepared as Monterey County is currently under a red flag warning that includes potential lightning storms. The…

Salinas Valley Fairgrounds turned into an emergency shelter

August 23, 2020 9:45 AM Jesus Reyes

Monterey County has converted the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds into an emergency for residents and their pets. The shelter, located on 625 Division…

More evacuate as threat of dry lightning, winds looms over Central Coast

August 22, 2020 11:57 PM Josh Kristianto

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Fires across the Central Coast continue to prompt more evacuations on Saturday as Cal Fire officials worry about a new weather…

SPCA Monterey County under evacuation warning, moving animals elsewhere

August 22, 2020 2:39 PM Travis Schlepp

SPCA Monterey County, which is currently under an evacuation warning, is proactively moving animals and supplies from their…

Monterey firefighters start wildfire victim relief effort

August 22, 2020 9:31 PM Aaron Groff

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION-TV) The River, Carmel and Dolan fires continue to burn in Monterey County. Dozens of structures, including homes, have been…

As wildfires rage, here’s how you can help

August 22, 2020 3:39 PM Travis Schlepp

As the Central Coast and Bay Area is devastated by historic wildfires, many people have reached out wondering how they can lend a…

Red Flag Warning issued for Central Coast, Bay Area

August 22, 2020 12:11 PM KION546 News Team

The National Weather Service says erratic wind and thunderstorms could arrive in areas already dealing with major wildfires.…

Fire officials providing update on local fires

August 22, 2020 11:02 AM KION546 News Team

Officials give updates on fires burning in our…

Monterey Conference Center converted to evacuation shelter

August 22, 2020 9:51 AM Travis Schlepp

The conference center opened Friday as an evacuation center but is now equipped to take in a large amount of evacuees fleeing fires burning in…

Pulmonologist says smoke caused by fire is harmful

August 21, 2020 11:33 AM Veronica Macias

Around the Central Coast, the skies are filled with smoke and ash covering the…

Dolan Fire continues to burn over 8,000 acres so far south of Big Sur

August 21, 2020 8:20 PM Josh Kristianto

BIG SUR, Calif. (KION) The Dolan Fire is currently burning 10 miles south of Big Sur and six miles north of Limekiln State Park along Highway…

Fire evacuations are happening around the Central Coast. What can you do to prepare?

August 20, 2020 12:05 PM Avery Johnson

Thousands of people around Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties have been ordered to leave their homes due to…

How to help: Find ways to help people impacted by the Central Coast wildfires

August 21, 2020 2:46 PM Avery Johnson

Thousands of people in Santa Cruz and Monterey Counties have been told to leave their…

Central Coast firefighter loses home while working on Carmel Fire

August 21, 2020 10:28 AM Avery Johnson

A Central Coast firefighter was among those who have lost their homes in a…

Cal Fire relocates all non-essential personnel from Toro Park base camp

August 20, 2020 11:43 PM Josh Kristianto

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Cal Fire officials at Toro Park are relocating all non-essential personnel to work somewhere else after flames from the River…

Some choose to ride out fires despite mandatory evacuations

August 20, 2020 6:44 PM Josh Kristianto

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) All is calm at the Lucie Lane neighborhood off San Benancio Road. It is quiet, with a thick haze of smoke blanketing the…

Big Sur Marathon Foundation suspends 2021 events

August 20, 2020 5:03 PM Avery Johnson

The Big Sur Marathon Foundation announced that starting Sept. 30, it will be suspending all race…

Watch: Farmworkers continue to work despite smoky conditions, Monterey Co. provides masks

August 20, 2020 12:33 PM Avery Johnson

Supervisor Luis Alejo said Monterey County has distributed 10,000 N95 masks to…

Man facing arson charges in connection to Dolan Fire pleads not guilty

August 20, 2020 3:11 PM Avery Johnson

A man facing arson charges in connection to the Dolan Fire in Big Sur appeared in court virtually…

Residents asked to be aware of wild animals fleeing fires

August 20, 2020 9:17 AM Mary Coleman

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KION)–Officials are asked people who live in Monterey, Santa Cruz and Santa Clara counties to be aware that animals are fleeing…

People evacuate in Monterey Co. as flames approach homes

August 20, 2020 1:17 AM Veronica Macias

MONTEREY COUNTY, Calif. (KION) People in the most impacted areas heed the warnings and evacuated in both the Carmel and River Fire. On Wednesday…

Crews share efforts to contain River and Carmel Fires

August 19, 2020 1:58 PM Avery Johnson

Cal Fire is providing an update on two of the three fires currently burning in Monterey…

Fort Ord National Monument reopens after fire danger decreases

August 19, 2020 5:25 PM Avery Johnson

The Bureau of Land Management said it will be issuing a temporary emergency closure at Fort…

Several Monterey County schools close for virtual, in-person activities due to fires

August 19, 2020 2:28 PM Avery Johnson

The Monterey County Office of Education said several schools and districts are cancelling…

Local agencies and centers take in animals impacted by the River Fire

August 17, 2020 1:40 PM Megan Meier

The Marina Equestrian Center and the Monterey County SPCA are partnering to shelter animals evacuated by the River…

Toro Park and Carmel Valley Library evacuation centers move

August 19, 2020 2:09 PM Avery Johnson

County officials said evacuation centers at Toro Park School and the Carmel Valley Library are…

Carmel hotels offer fire evacuation rates

August 19, 2020 2:39 PM Avery Johnson

The Carmel Chamber of Commerce and Visit Carmel have compiled a list of hotels in the…

Watch: Law enforcement evacuates Las Palmas neighborhood near River Fire

August 19, 2020 1:49 PM Avery Johnson

Video taken by KION anchor Veronica Macias shows deputies and officers making sure…

Hot, dry weather challenges crews fighting River Fire

August 18, 2020 3:49 PM Megan Meier

Massive flames continue to scorch the Salinas hillside for the third day. At 4,509 acres, the River Fire has forced more people to leave their homes.…

River Fire creates smoky conditions on the Central Coast

August 18, 2020 12:01 PM Elisha Machado

Smoke from the River Fire is creating unhealthy air quality for the Carmel Valley. Smoke and ash is also filling the air in areas closer to where the…

Help for people and animals evacuating the River fire

August 17, 2020 11:52 PM Jocelyn Ortega

SALINAS, Calif. (KION) Toro Park School on Portola Drive is now available as a resource center for residents displaced by the River Fire in search…

Homes destroyed along the River Fire’s path

August 17, 2020 11:44 AM Elisha Machado

At least five structures have been damaged as the River Fire continues to tear through the hillsides south of Salinas.…

UPDATE: Expected “rotating power outages” no longer needed Monday

August 17, 2020 3:41 PM Avery Johnson, Aaron Groff

The City of Monterey said California ISO and PG&E have provided a warning about expected power outages…

Virtual, in-person activities at Washington USD canceled due to River Fire

August 17, 2020 4:02 PM Avery Johnson

The Washington Union School District said all of its in-person and virtual activities are canceled…

Federal dollars secured to aid River Fire response

August 17, 2020 1:42 PM Ron Keller

SACRAMENTO (KION-TV) New assistance could be coming to areas hard hit by the River Fire in Monterey County and the agencies on the front lines. The…

Protest held outside Soledad correctional facility over health and safety concerns

August 15, 2020 11:38 PM Jocelyn Ortega

The number of coronavirus cases at the correctional training facility in Soledad has gone up 17 new cases in the last 14 days.…

City of Monterey announces partial beach closures over warm weekend

August 14, 2020 2:53 PM Avery Johnson, Jocelyn Ortega

The City of Monterey has announced partial beach closures and reduced parking over the warm…

PG&E shuts off power around California Friday night due to heatwave

August 14, 2020 5:39 PM Avery Johnson, Aaron Groff

The California Independent System Operator has declared a statewide Stage 2 Emergency Friday due to excessive…

Thousands across Central Coast venture outdoors amid heatwave

August 14, 2020 10:45 PM Josh Kristianto

MONTEREY, Calif. (KION) It was a hot day on Friday to say the least all around the Central Coast, and thousand came out to beat the heat one way or…

Power outages cause issues for distance learning

August 14, 2020 1:01 PM Megan Meier

When the power went out on Michael Aguilar’s first day of senior year, he took matters into his own hands. “I had to go and email most of my teachers…