Views. one hundred residents have been evacuated, but many are making a stand, and firefighters are now helping those people protect their homes. some have described hearing propane tanks explode and watching flames 30 feet high jump from tree to tree, rooftop to rooftop. fifteen structures have been lost including the home of the big sur fire brigade chief who watched helplessly as flames consumed everything she owned. because no one expected a fire here in december, many key resources were nod readily available, and the fire just exploded after it broke out late sunday night near a popular hiking trail. now the critical help is here including two air tankers and eight helicopters essential to any fire fight in this kind of steep, rugged terrain. shifting winds also a concern and a primary objective today is to keep the fire east of highway 1. that is the lifeline artery for big sur s 1300 residents and the millions of tourists who visit this area year round. dozens of campgrounds, hi