Additional resources called in to assist with Coleman Fire

JOLON, Calif. (KION) It's been a full 24 hours since the Coleman Fire first sparked and crews are working full speed ahead.

The fire started near Los Padres National Forest and Fort Hunter Liggett Army Base around 12 p.m. on Sunday, October 18. Officials said it is 500 acres in size and 0% contained.

"Access to the fire is difficult. That's presenting a challenge, but we do have multiple different crews and resources assigned," said National Park Service Incident Commander, Lucas Minton.

Minton said the majority of suppression resources from the Dolan Fire have been reassigned to the Coleman Fire.

Steep terrain has restricted access to the flames, so aircraft are doing the heavy lifting. Every few minutes, helicopters suck up gallons of water from a pond on Fort Hunter Liggett, fly over to the front lines and tame the flames.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but firefighters said a weekend of hot weather could have fueled the blaze. "The weather conditions have played a role in fire behavior and activity in general. With it being hotter and drier, and the condition of the fuels has all contributed to that," said Minton.

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office said 15 cabins, located on federal land, are evacuated because of the fire.

Although the area is remote, structure protection still remains first responders' top priority.

"We're looking at weather and conditions to give us the best probability of success to get out there and get it contained," said Minton.