Soberanes Fire Latest: Fatality Reported, New Evacuation Orders

UPDATE 2:45 p.m.: MONTEREY COUNTY, CA —

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has expanded EVACUATION ORDERS to include:

• Robinson Canyon Road FROM San Clemente Trail to White Rock Gun Club
• AREA SOUTH OF San Clemente Trail, FROM Robinson Canyon road to the Rancho San Clemente Gate House, TO INCLUDE the Arroyo Sequoia Road

EVACUATION ORDERS remain in effect for:

• Palo Colorado
• A portion of Santa Lucia Preserve on San Carlos Road between Canter Run and Garza Trail
• Old Coast Road
• Corona Road, east of Highway 1
• Riley Ranch Road, east of Highway 1
• Bixby Creek Road from Highway 1 south to Mesa
• Garrapatos Road
• Weston Ridge Road (aka Garrapatos Road)

In addition, The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has expanded EVACUATION WARNING to include:

• Area to the NORTH of San Clemente Trail / Dormody Road, TO INCLUDE those roads to Black Mountain Trail, Touche Pass, the community of San Clemente, AND ALL of Long Ridge Trail **NOTE** BLACK MOUNTAIN TRAIL IS THE NORTHERN BOUNDARY.

EVACUATION WARNINGS remain in effect for:

• Carmel Highlands
• White Rock
• Old Coast Road, south from Bixby Creek Road to Little Sur River
• Rancho San Carlos

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(earlier)

UPDATE 8:30 a.m.: MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — Cal Fire officials Wednesday morning reported a firefighter has lost his life while fighting the Soberanes Fire north of Big Sur.

According to information released by Cal Fire PIO Daniel Berlant, a "call when needed" bulldozer operator was killed in nighttime operations.

In the latest update on the fire, authorities say 22 structures — 20 homes and two outbuildings — have been destroyed in the fire, and 2,000 remain in peril.

The fire has burned through 23,568 acres and remains at 10 percent containment.

Firefighters are now giving an Aug. 31 date for total containment of the fire. There are more than 3,000 firefighters from the region on the front lines of the remote fire.

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(earlier)

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — A large wildfire burning in Monterey County that increased to almost 24,000 acres by Tuesday evening has left four firefighters with minor injuries, Cal Fire officials said.

In their latest update at 7:55 p.m. Tuesday, Cal Fire officials said nearly 3,000 firefighters are battling the Soberanes Fire north of Big Sur, a blaze that has charred 23,500 acres and remains only 10 percent contained.

In addition, Acting Governor Tom Torlakson Tuesday issued emergency proclamations for Los Angeles and Monterey counties due to the effects of the Sand and Soberanes fires.

The four firefighters were treated at the scene and were allowed to continue their work, Cal Fire officials said.

The blaze began shortly after 8:45 a.m. Friday at Soberanes Creek in Garrapata State Park, north of Big Sur, and crews expect to reach full containment on Friday, Aug. 5, according to Cal Fire.

Crews have prioritized extinguishing the fire in the Carmel Highlands area, which is closest to the fire and has the most threatened homes, Cal Fire operations section chief Mark Brown said during a news briefing Tuesday morning at a base camp at Toro County Park in Salinas.

Firefighters are also looking to make progress at Los Padres National Forest and surrounding areas, Rancho San Carlos and Williams Canyon, according to Brown.

The fire was "aggressively burning" near the Los Padres National Forest, an area that has become the most challenging for crews, Brown said.

Fire officials hope to get helicopters in the air to access the southern section of the blaze, he said.

A section of the fire burned a half-mile away from state Highway 1, but there are no planned closures to the highway, Brown said.

Monterey County Sheriff Steve Bernal called on the public to avoid Highway 1 unless they have business in the area because of multiple emergency vehicles parked along the freeway while the fire continues.

A team is looking into what caused the fire, but greater focus has been placed on evacuations and lifesaving efforts, Cal Fire incident commander Todd Derum said.

The blaze has destroyed 20 homes and two outbuildings, while 2,000 structures are threatened, an increase from the 1,650 structures previously considered in danger, Cal Fire officials said.

Multiple agencies are assisting Cal Fire in its suppression efforts by providing various resources including 14 helicopters, 296 engines and 59 crews, agency officials said.

Those crews are continuing to face problems accessing certain parts of the fire, which is very active above the marine layer, Cal Fire officials said.

Helicopters were back up in the air Tuesday after the marine layer broke around 8 a.m., which benefits air crews but doesn't help the fire itself, Cal Fire Capt. Lucas Spelman said.

Much of the blaze is in mountainous terrain inaccessible for fire engines, which means many firefighters walk to the fire with several hundred feet of hose and gear loaded on their backs, Spelman said.

The extensive fire has led 300 residents to evacuate from the Palo Colorado community, Old Coast Road, Rocky Creek Road, Bixby Creek Road from state Highway 1 south to Mesa Road, Corona Road east of Highway 1 and Riley Ranch Road east of Highway 1, Cal Fire officials said.

An evacuation center has been set up at Carmel Middle School, according to Cal Fire.

People have been warned to leave southern parts of Carmel Highlands, the area south of Rancho San Carlos, White Rock and Old Coast Road south from Bixby Creek to Little Sur River, Cal Fire officials said.

A closure is in effect for Palo Colorado Road at Highway 1, Robinson Canyon Road south of Penon Peak Trail and Weston Ridge Road at Highway 1.

The fire has prompted the closure of Garrapata State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Point Lobos State National Reserve, Point Sur Lighthouse State Historic Park and the Pine Ridge and Mt. Manuel trails at Los Padres National Forest, state park officials said.

As of Tuesday morning, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals for Monterey County was caring for more than 25 pets evacuated from the fire, shelter officials said on Facebook.

The SPCA is also seeking cash donations, small bags of pet food and cat litter that can be made at Carmel Middle School or its shelter at 1002 Monterey Salinas Highway in Salinas.

Anyone affected by the fire who needs help with pets or large animals may call the SPCA at (831) 373-2631.

The Community Foundation for Monterey County is collecting monetary donations to help people affected by the fire.

More information on making a contribution can be found online at https://www.cfmco.org/about-us/fund-list/soberanes-fire-fund.

— By Bay City News; embeds via NWS/Monterey, Cal Fire; images via Oakland Fire Dept, Cal Fire