LOS ANGELES _ The Soberanes fire in Monterey County grew to more than 57,500 acres Sunday while firefighters continued to battle several other wildfires across the state, including one that burned more than 1,000 acres near Silverwood Lake in San Bernardino County.
More than 5,100 firefighters were battling the Soberanes blaze, which was 45 percent contained as of Sunday. Air tankers, helicopters, bulldozers and at least 300 fire engines have been deployed to the fire, about eight miles south of Carmel.
The fire, which has burned for more than two weeks, has claimed one life, injured three others and destroyed 57 homes and 14 other structures.
The victim, Robert Reagan III, was a bulldozer operator who suffered fatal injuries sometime after he was called in July 26 to help battle the fire.
At least 650 people have been evacuated from their homes along the coast, and evacuation orders for various sections of the Pacific Coast Highway near the blaze are still active.
Firefighters have also been forced to rescue people tending to illegal marijuana growing operations when the flames surrounded them.
Steep and rugged terrain have hampered firefighting efforts and smoke plumes have blocked out the sun in certain areas of the fire, preventing the use of helicopters and planes. Gusty, shifting winds grew the blaze's southwestern portion overnight.
"It's spreading southeast and southwest," said Rigo Herrera, Cal Fire public information officer.
The northern portion of the fire near Carmel has been "burned black" and is mostly inactive, Herrera said.
The second-largest active fire in the state, the Cold fire has burned more than 5,385 acres at the southern tip of Lake Berryessa in Northern California, said Cal Fire spokeswoman Christina Barker. No structures or people have been harmed, and the blaze is 50 percent contained. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
In San Bernardino County, the brush fire near Silverwood Lake could be seen Sunday in a wide area of the mountains and surrounding communities. A portion of Highway 138 was closed, and officials urged motorists to avoid the area. Highway 173 was also closed between Highway 138 and Arrowhead Lake Road.
About 350 firefighters were battling the blaze by air and on the ground, according to the San Bernardino County Fire Department and U.S. Forest Service. Seven air tankers were deployed to help control the flames, fire officials said.
The fire, which was reported just after 12 p.m., was burning in a sparsely populated area but not far from some homes in the Summit Valley area.
There was no containment as of Sunday evening. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
The Goose fire in Fresno County _ the third-largest active fire in the state _ had burned 2,241 acres as of Sunday and destroyed nine buildings. The fire was 94 percent contained Sunday morning, and about 225 firefighters were extinguishing hot spots and cutting containment lines.
Meanwhile, fire crews battling the Sand fire in Los Angeles County are in cleanup mode, stamping out hot spots, patrolling the fire's perimeter and repairing roads. The Sand fire ignited July 22 and has since burned more than 41,000 acres and caused one death.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
