20,000 acre fire near Big Sur Closes State Parks, Causes Evacuation

7/26 update: Earlier Tuesday, another wildfire caused officials to close the signature state parks of California's grand Big Sur coast.

Closures as of Tuesday included Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Andrew Molera State Park and Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, among others. California state parks spokesman Dennis Weber says facilities aren't threatened. Nevertheless, officials decided to clear the public for safety and to keep roads clear and avoid exposure to bad air quality. "It is folly to predict where this fire will go," Weber said.

The Big Sur fire threatened a long stretch of pristine, forested mountains hugging the coast and sent smoke billowing over the famed Pacific Coast Highway, which remained open with no flames visible to motorists but a risk that the blaze could reach the roadway.

The fire, which began on 7/22, had grown Tuesday to 30 square miles, but was just 10 percent contained. Twenty homes have burned in the zone, residents of 300 more were ordered to evacuate and more than 2,000 firefighters were trying to douse the blaze.

7/25 update: 1650 evacuated, 20 homes destroyed and 15,000 acres burned as of Monday night.

rmel Highlands has been evacuated, due to a fast-moving fire that is burning 10,000 acres near Big Sur. The Soberanes fire is less than 40% contained

Evacuations were ordered Saturday as a fast-moving brush fire threatened more than 1,000 homes in the northern Big Sur area of Monterey County, state officials reported.

The Soberanes fire began Friday morning in Garrapata State Park about five miles south of Carmel, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Authorities said the blaze had grown to about 10,000 acres as of Sunday evening and was threatening 1,650 structures.

Firefighters are dealing with dry, warm conditions; strong winds; and steep, rugged terrain as the fire burns south toward the community of Palo Colorado, where homes were evacuated.

Cal Fire officials said the blaze was not contained Saturday morning, and they predicted that progress would be difficult throughout day.

Saturday afternoon, fire and law enforcement issued an evacuation warning for the Carmel Highlands area south of Carmel and near Point Lobos. Palo Colorado Canyon residents were ordered to evacuate Friday night. The fire is threatening 1,650 structures. One outbuilding has been destroyed, Cal Fire said.

In Salinas, Toro Regional Park is closed starting Sunday and is being used as as home base camp for Cal Fire crews.