Famed tourist destinations evacuated as wildfire threatens California’s Big Sur

Nearly 500 personnel battle Timber fire in Los Padres national forest as blaze grows to 3,000 acres

Evacuations have been ordered for areas along California’s famous Big Sur coast as a wildfire burns in the nearby steep, rugged mountains.

The Timber fire in Monterey county started on Sunday and grew to nearly 3,000 acres by Tuesday evening, according to Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency. Nearly 500 fire personnel had been assigned to the fire in the Los Padres national forest.