CalTrans reopened Hwy 166 to commuter traffic on Tuesday evening.
Fire officials say that favorable weather conditions and no new fire activity helped them determine that the 166 is now safe for travel.
Darren McMillion is a spokesperson with the Murphy Fire Protection District, assigned to the Madre Fire. He says they’re closely monitoring weather changes this week
“One of our concerns is any new ignition because the fuels are extremely dry and the weather coming in is going to get hotter and dryer. So we're working hard to get this fire wrapped up before that weather sets in because it is going to create challenges for any new start,” said Mcmillion.
More than 1,500 firefighting personnel have been battling the Madre Fire, which grew to over 80,000 acres over the weekend.
