The Marble-Cone Fire was a wildland fire that was caused by two lightning strikes. It burned for three weeks in August 1977 in the Santa Lucia Mountains high country, at the Big Sur area of Monterey County, California. About 5,700 firefighters cut 160 miles (260 km) of line around the fire before it was contained. The fire burned 177,866 acres (720 km2) in the Santa Lucia Mountains, including the Ventana Wilderness, making it the largest wildfire in recorded California history at that time. As of 2024, it remains the 20th largest wildfire in the state's recorded history.

Big Sur is a rugged and mountainous section of the Central Coast of the U.S. state of California, between Carmel Highlands and San Simeon, where the Santa Lucia Mountains rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean. It is frequently praised for its dramatic scenery. Big Sur has been called the "longest and most scenic stretch of undeveloped coastline in the contiguous United States", a sublime "national treasure that demands extraordinary procedures to protect it from development", and "one of the most beautiful coastlines anywhere in the world, an isolated stretch of road, mythic in reputation". The views, redwood forests, hiking, beaches, and other recreational opportunities have made Big Sur a popular destination for visitors from across the world. With 4.5 to 7 million visitors annually, it is among the top tourist destinations in the United States, comparable to Yosemite National Park, but with considerably fewer services, and less parking, roads, and related infrastructure.