Wildfire Ravages Big Sur Hills

(CBS/ AP)  An explosive wildfire ravaged the hillsides above this scenic coastal community Thursday, leaving the popular tourist region mostly deserted ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday weekend.

Still, some people defied orders to evacuate the Big Sur area and stayed behind to try to save their homes and businesses from the blaze, which has burned 100 square miles of the Los Padres National Forest and destroyed at least 17 homes.

Kirk Gafill, general manager of the popular cliffside Nepenthe Restaurant, said he and five employees were up all night trying to protect the business his grandparents built in 1949. Wearing dust masks, the crew scrambled to stamp out embers, the size of dinner plates, dropping from the sky, he said.

"We know fire officials don't have the manpower to secure our properties," Gafill said. "There are a lot of people in this community not following evacuation orders. Based on what we saw during (Hurricane) Katrina and other disasters, we know we can only rely on ourselves and our neighbors."

The raging blaze near Big Sur was one of more than 1,700 wildfires, mostly ignited by lightning, that have scorched nearly 800 square miles and destroyed more than 60 structures across northern and central California since June 20, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. For the first time in nearly 15 years, National Guard troops were brought in to be trained and used on the firelines, reports CBS News correspondent John Blackstone.

The air near Big Sur was thick with smoke and ash, and flames licked the forested hills above the coastal highway. The blaze was only about 3 percent contained and wasn't expected to be fully surrounded until the end of the month.

The National Weather Service on Thursday warned of high fire danger in the Big Sur area because of dry and windy conditions. A statewide drought has created tinder-like trees and brush, feeding the flames in California's forests.

"I've been here for 10 days and this is the first red flag day that we've had," Firefighter Mike Pyries told Blackstone. "Conditions are very poor for firefighting, good for fires. We're up against Mother Nature."

Authorities have ordered evacuations for homes and businesses along a 25-mile - stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, but many property owners chose to remain in the fire zone at their own risk.

Dan Priano, general manager of the expansive Post Ranch Inn resort, stayed on the 100-acre property with eight employees trying to protect dozens of structures. He said he has been calling state and local officials, begging for more firefighting resources.

"We're staying to protect our livelihoods," he said. "We haven't seen any resources, no helicopters, nothing. Last night I watched three homes burn."

Despite the evacuation orders, fire and law enforcement officials cannot force people to leave their property, said Tina Rose, a Cal Fire spokeswoman.

"This is America. We can't go in and put handcuffs on people and drag them out," Rose said. "People have rights and can protect their property."

If someone refuses to leave, the person must sign a waiver that asks for next of kin and the name of a dentist, so the individual can be identified by dental records in case of death, she said.

About 60 firefighters were hunkered down Thursday at the historic Ventana Inn, trying to save the large resort as flames blazed about 500 yards from the inn's restaurant. The buildings had been sprayed with a foamy fire retardant.

Kurt Mayer, 53, stayed at his Big Sur Deli through the night clearing brush and preparing to cover his business with fire-retardant gel, which he says works best when applied within hours before flames reach a structure.

Mayer watched the flames glowing all night, saying "it was a spectacular scene."

More than 30 miles of the Pacific Coast Highway have been closed. About 1,200 homes are threatened on a long strip of coast in the Los Padres forest, said John Heil, a Forest Service spokesman.

A separate blaze that started about a month ago and covered more than 120 square miles was nearly fully contained Thursday in the Los Padres forest southeast of Big Sur.

Meanwhile, a fast-growing fire in the southern extension of the Los Padres forest north of Santa Barbara forced about 45 residents to flee as strong winds pushed flames toward homes in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains.

In the Sequoia National Forest east of Bakersfield, crews struggled to contain a 14,000-acre blaze. Powerful gusts and choking smoke traveling up the steep canyons hampered their progress, and residents of neighboring towns were told to evacuate.

[blackyowe]

Well there are too many houses and too many people and the land has been pushed to the limit. They never learn they just rebuild and it happens again. I would never live in that state. Everything costs too much and the schools suck besides fires, houses falling into the ocean, and earthquakes.

[five5cats4me]

Sistatee, what has Watts got to do with forest fires? NOTHING. I''ve lived most of my life in California, born and raised and wild fires are common EVERY YEAR. How easy it is to forget that a lot of California is desert. Dry and prone to burning.

[sistatee-2009]

California has been burning since Watts in ''65.

[cgeller100]

Corey2444, you stupid ignorant moron, are you going to blame "liberals" for Hurricanes, Tornadoes, and earthquakes too?

[cgeller100]

Imbecile, did you read the story? A STATEWIDE DROUGHT has left most of the state in an extremely dry state prone to fires - add in heat and winds and you have fires. Forest thinning and environmentalists have nothing to do with this.

[cgeller100]

Idiot, in case you didn''t know, the area around Big Sur once you get into the hills is mostly CHAPARALL - small shrubs - not large trees. The big trees are mostly only along the coast. CHAPARALL is by nature highly flammable. Do you know anything about California before shooting off your big mouth?

[cgeller100]

I am SO SICK of these idiots blaming environmentalists for these fires. The fact is, the forest service and fire departments HAVE been performing forest thinning all along to help stave off these fires, and environmentalists DO NOT oppose this. The problem is all the BUDGET CUTS from the REPUBLICAN administrations like Schwarzengger and Bush have made it harder to thin forests when needed and to fight the fires once they have started.