Monterey County sheriff's officials say they have taken a "180-degree turn" in their response to the Pfeiffer Ridge Fire in Big Sur compared to the area's Basin Complex Fire in 2008.
"We hope that almost everything is different — a philosophical change," Sheriff Scott Miller said.
Cmdr. Bill Kaye, who is usually posted at the Monterey substation, has been in Big Sur every day since the fire started, accompanied by Sgt. Joe Moses. Miller said "double or triple" the usual number of deputies are working in the area.
But part of the "philosophical change" means a different way of dealing with homeowners who choose not to evacuate, the sheriff said.
"For people who stayed in place, we don't condone that. But we are trying to be supportive," Miller said.
As in the 2008 Basin Complex Fire, some residents are "trying to do their own fire protection activities," he said.
"There are people who have never left the area. Some are trying to preserve their property or their friends' property," he said. "We're not arresting anyone who isn't leaving. It doesn't resolve any problems."
He said deputies will only make arrests "in the most dire of circumstances."
After the 2008 fire, many residents were left with a bad taste that observers believed helped swing the 2010 election away from incumbent Sheriff Mike Kanalakis.
Residents who chose to stay behind after mandatory evacuation orders were issued in 2008 complained they had a hard time helping each other without facing arrest.
Sheriff's deputies had been ordered to "escort out" any who didn't stay on their own property.
"We are virtually under house arrest," resident Tom Birmingham told The Herald at the time.
Fearing he would be spotted by deputies, he said he had to sneak away from the Nepenthe Restaurant — where he and six others had holed up —to deliver a box of food to a neighbor.
"Many of us are 10 miles from the nearest flame, yet we can't walk across the road," he said. "We are not trying to be heroes or get in the way of professionals. We are here to keep an eye on our properties."
Officials at the time said the order to remove residents found roaming around was made to protect against looting and to prevent interference with firefighting efforts.
Resident Ross Curtis made news when he was arrested for attempting to create a fire break on his property after he was warned not to.
This time, Miller said, residents who stay put are being offered help from deputies coordinating with Fire Chief Martha Karstens and the Community Emergency Response Team of the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade.
"It's being done in an organized fashion," he said. "We're working very closely with the CERT group and trying our best to work with the community — with an attitude of 'what can we do to help?' "
"It's a fine line when people have their homes threatened," he said.
Officials said one looting or theft incident has been reported since the fire began.
Four rifles and a handgun were stolen from a parked truck camper a fleeing resident had packed with valuables.
The firearms were taken during the night while the owner was staying at a temporary residence, deputies said.
Julia Reynolds can be reached at 648-1187 or firstname.lastname@example.org.