Good morning, Salinas.

Gusty winds slowed firefighting in Big Sur as the Timber Fire burned 4,245 acres and closed a 10-mile stretch of Highway 1, though improved weather is expected to help contain it.

Monterey Car Week will hold charity drawings on Sunday (tickets $100) to support free school health programs.

Soledad police chased a wild hog Thursday morning after residents reported sightings during their walks, and officers eventually guided the animal back to its natural habitat (an unusual call).

Peninsula native Rob Manson is reviving local motorsports heritage by collecting classic California Specials and launching a book project to honor the Pebble Beach Road Races from the 1950s + reconnecting the community with its rich racing legacy.

Michael Tsuchiura is showcasing 100 Japanese domestic market vehicles at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend during Car Week.

The event & drive to The Quail in Carmel Valley will highlight classic and modern JDM cars for collectors.

Multiple wildfires continue burning in California as crews battle the four blazes, including the Timber Fire in Big Sur which has scorched over 4,200 acres with 7% containment and forced highway closures, while fires in Sierra, Humboldt, and San Luis Obispo counties remain active.

No injuries have been reported.

Firefighters are battling the Timber Fire, which has burned 4,245 acres with 7% containment since Aug.

8, as they work along Highway 1 + Partington Ridge in Big Sur; evacuation orders and road closures remain in effect near Carmel and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park.

Activists from Salinas, Greenfield and Watsonville attended a legislative hearing in Sacramento on Tuesday to question the Department of Pesticide Regulation’s role in protecting public health and the environment — they argued that the agency’s funding linked to pesticide sales creates a conflict of interest that hinders safer practices.

The American Red Cross declared a national blood supply crisis as donations fell to their lowest in four years.

Salinas residents are urged to donate blood, especially type O, since adding just three donors at each drive may help stabilize supplies.