Last summer it was flames.

A nearby fire burned for 83 days, and led legions of tourists to cancel trips to one of the state's most idyllic communities, Big Sur.

Now, it's the Pineapple Express.

The series of strong Pacific storms triggered a landslide at a bridge on Highway 1 in the middle of the community. CalTrans says the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is damaged beyond repair. Until it can be replaced, Highway 1 is severed.

Stan Russell is a longtime area resident who runs a local information site, TheBigSurBlog.com. He says the bridge closure is going to hit businesses in the area very hard. But he points out, on a more positive note, that no one has died, and the community is pulling together to overcome yet another calamity in one of the most beautiful places in California.

Click on the blue bar above to listen to the interview with Big Sur's Stan Russell.