Latest: Bulldozer operator killed in Big Sur fire
Another bulldozer operator escaped injury when the piece of equipment rolled over and sustained minor damage.
Firefighters working around the clock got a break early Wednesday from cooler temperatures and increased humidity.
Search and rescue crews from the Monterey County Sheriff's Department, along with the bulldozer operators, evacuated them to a campground.
To the north, officials say some 2,000 homes remain threatened by a fire in the scenic Big Sur region that has charred nearly 37 square miles of brush.
A scenic stretch of California's Highway 1 is open, but state parks near Big Sur remain closed as crews try to beat back a destructive wildfire that threatens to crest a ridge and make a run toward coastal campgrounds, lodges and redwoods.
Firefighters working around the clock got a break early Wednesday from cooler temperatures and increased humidity.