KING CITY — One person has been found dead in the riverbed area burned by the King Fire, the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Friday.
The fire, located in the Salinas River riverbed behind McDonald’s and KFC on Broadway Circle in King City, started Wednesday afternoon and spread to 90 acres before forward progress was stopped. It was 90% contained as of Friday morning.
“There are no additional details available at this time,” the County said in a news release. “The remains have been turned over to the Sheriff’s Office Coroner Division and the investigation is ongoing.”
Investigators are seeking the public’s help with the case.
Anyone who was in or around the fire area late Wednesday afternoon is asked to contact either Detective Sgt. Bryan Hoskins at 831-755-3773 or Detective Arras Willson at 831-759-7203 and share any information about what they may have seen prior to the fire starting.
The Sheriff’s Office is working in unified command with King City police and fire departments, Cal Fire and California Highway Patrol in response to the wildfire.
An evacuation warning was issued Wednesday by local police for areas southwest of River Drive and Rio Vista Drive, between Broadway and Canal streets, and west to the Salinas River before being lifted later that evening.
As a result of the warning, an evacuation shelter was opened at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds for those displaced by the fire.
