After two days, Soberanes Fire explodes and efforts multiply.

UPDATE (07/24/16 8pm): Cal Fire issues mandatory evacuations for the communities of Palo Colorado, Old Coast, Rocky Creek and Bixby Creek roads from Highway 1 south to Mesa Road. 

Evacuation warnings also issued for Carmel Highlands, south of Rancho San Carlos, Carmel Valley, White Rock and Rancho San Clemente. 

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Officials tasked with protecting wildlife, state parks and evacuees, among other things, gathered Sunday morning at the Toro Park fire command station to discuss one thing: a fiery beast burning 10,000-plus acres of Big Sur land.

The Soberanes Fire has been feeding off of dry brush and trees for two days now and has reached Bixby Mountain.

It started early Friday morning with five burning acres and by Sunday morning it has exploded into a 11,000 acre wildfire at 5-percent containment.

The active flames, often scorching steep and hard-to-reach terrain, have proven difficult for the 700-plus firefighters in on the effort.

Cal Fire Captain Lucas Spelman says they expect to put out the fire by the end of July with the help of fire stations stretching from San Diego to Lake counties.

On Saturday, one firefighter sustained minor injuries. On Sunday, Cal Fire accounted for six homes and one out building destroyed by the blaze.

Still, about 1,600 homes are threatened. Residents in Palo Colorado have been mandated to evacuate, and are not being allowed back into their homes.

As the fire creeps closer to Carmel Highlands, fire officials say there is a voluntary evacuation order for homes there, but there are no road closures.

Hyatt Carmel Highlands has also been put on alert for evacuation. 

Carmel Middle School continues to be used as a shelter facility. A Red Cross official said there have been a total of 154 people at the facility over the weekend, but most have moved out to stay with friends and family or found another place.

As a precaution, Andrew Molera State Park has been closed and a closure for the Point Lobos Reserve is under consideration to alleviate traffic in the area as fire crews travel up and down Highway 1 to reach affected areas.

Pine Ridge Trail has also been closed.

“Air quality is a major concern,” John De Luca, with California State Parks, says. “We have received minor complaints about the air from campers.”

Big Sur campgrounds are “completely booked” this weekend—and for the rest of the summer. De Luca says campers are being advised about the ongoing fire.

“We are encouraging people to maybe not come,” he adds.

An official with the U.S. Forest Services expressed concern at the meeting saying the fire was about a half mile from hitting dense forest area in Big Sur. If reached, fire-abatement efforts would become a lot more challenging.

But weather and the wind shift is working to firefighters’ advantage Sunday, blowing northbound, rather than southbound where the forest is.

The SPCA of Monterey County is also actively working on rescuing animals in the affected areas.

So far, the nonprofit has taken in 13 pets and four baby turkeys into their care.

“We’ve been getting quite a few calls for rescue at Palo Colorado,” a representative with the SPCA said. “We need to know when those roads are going to be open for us to go in.”

Piece of Mind Dog Rescue and Animal Friends Rescue Project also stand by to triage with volunteers to house displaced pets. 

After dealing with a massive power outage on Saturday, Pacific Gas & Electric officials said they have restored power to the area and are now focusing on protecting their infrastructure by spraying it with retardants.  

The cause of the fire remains under investigation and Cal Fire officials were cautious to speculate on whether it was human-caused or not.

Brocchini said there's a team of investigators working to determine both the cause and origin of the fire.

For the latest information on this fire check out our full coverage here.