Advertisement Soberanes Fire prompts evacuation order for Rancho San Carlos Share Shares Copy Link Copy

The Monterey County Sheriff's Office issued a mandatory evacuation order Tuesday afternoon for the Rancho San Carlos community, between Canter Run and Garzas Trail, in Carmel Valley.The evacuation was ordered to protect residents from the Soberanes Fire, which has burned more than 23,500 acres over the past five days.VIDEO: Soberanes Fire Day 5Rancho San Carlos, located within the Santa Lucia Preserve, is the third community that has been ordered to evacuate. Palo Colorado was evacuated Friday, and parts of Carmel Highlands were evacuated Monday afternoon."Residents should leave these areas listed above immediately, and be sure to take any medications, pets, (and) family valuables with you. Close all windows and leave all doors closed," Cal Fire officials said.WATCH: Complete press conference: Soberanes Fire Day 5Twenty homes have been destroyed and an estimated 1,650 homes are being threatened. Firefighters said at a news conference Tuesday that protecting homes in Carmel Highlands and Rancho San Carlos was among their top priorities.READ: Some Carmel Highlands residents ordered to evacuate"At any point in time, this fire can change directions, can spread very quickly, and if that happens there could be embers that fly a mile ahead of the main fire," Richard Cordova, a state fire captain, told the AP.The Soberanes Fire's steep, rugged, mountainous location is making it a challenge for firefighters to access. More than 2,200 personnel are battling the blaze on the ground and from the air under a unified command by Cal Fire and the U.S. Forest Service.VIDEO: Amazing timelapse video of the Soberanes FireFighting the Soberanes Fire turned into a deadly effort Tuesday when a bulldozer operator was killed, Cal Fire said Wednesday morning.The victim was an independent private contractor who was trained to work on fire lines alongside firefighters. He suffered fatal injuries when his bulldozer rolled in a remote area on the southeast end of the wildfire, Cal Fire said."(Firefighting) is an inherently dangerous job with great risk involved. Please keep your heartfelt thoughts and prayers with the family of our fallen cooperator and the firefighting community," Cal Fire incident commander Todd Derum said.The wildfire is 10 percent contained.Parks along Big Sur's coastline that draw thousands of daily visitors were closed at the height of the summer tourism season.Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pt. Sur Lighthouse Historic Park, Garrapata State Park, and Point Lobos Natural Reserve are closed to day use, hiking, camping and surfing. Park roads, trails and camping sites were closed as a safety precaution because of thick smoke causing unhealthy air quality, and to keep the roads free of traffic for firefighters, said state parks spokesman Dennis Weber.Firefighters hope to have the Soberanes Fire contained within the next two weeks.PHOTOS: Most dramatic imagesMandatory evacuations:Big Sur residents in the Palo Colorado neighborhood evacuated Friday. Carmel Highlands residents living on Corona Road and Riley Ranch Road east of Highway 1 were ordered to evacuate Monday. The Rancho San Carlos community, between Canter Run and Garzas Trail in Carmel Valley, was ordered to evacuate Tuesday.The Monterey County Sheriff's Department also issued mandatory evacuations for Weston Ridge Road, Garrapatos Road, and Highway 1 at Old Coast Road.Air QualityCheck air quality near youArea closuresAll parks in and around the Big Sur -- Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Pt. Sur Lighthouse Historic Park, Garrapata State Park, and Point Lobos Natural Reserve -- are closed.Palo Colorado Road, Western Ridge Road, Old Coast Road, and Lower Garrapata Road are closed. Toro Park closed to allow Cal Fire to use the park as a base camp.Pre-evacuation warnings:Carmel Highlands, Rancho San Carlos, and White Rock are under pre-evacuation warnings, and residents should be prepared to leave if ordered.ShelterThe American Red Cross established a temporary shelter at Carmel Middle School at 4380 Carmel Valley Road. The SPCA for Monterey County is also there to help with evacuated pets.DonateThe Community Foundation for Monterey County created a donation fund to assist the community impacted by the Soberanes Fire and help residents who lost their homes recover.CauseFire officials said the Soberanes Fire's cause is under investigation.