Wind-Whipped Wildfire in Big Sur Shuts Hwy 1, Forces Evacuations
CARMEL (CBS SF) -- The American Red Cross opened a shelter late Friday evening for residents of the Palo Colorado area of Monterey County who received mandatory evacuation orders because of a fast-growing vegetation fire that also shut down Highway 1 south of Carmel.
The emergency shelter opened at 11:30 p.m. Friday at Carmel Middle School, 4380 Carmel Valley Rd., Carmel-by-the-Sea.
@PGE4Me webcam at CTRY CLUB HTS in Carmel Valley pointed toward the fire ongoing along the Big Sur Coast near Rocky Creek and Palo Colorado Canyon. Please avoid Highway 1 south of Carmel. Humidity is in the teens with gusts around 35 mph! #CAwx #CAfire pic.twitter.com/EM8dEy2HKg
— NWS Bay Area ???? (@NWSBayArea) January 22, 2022
Cal Fire officials said late Friday evening that the fire -- called the Colorado Fire -- had grown to between 75 and 100 acres as of 11 p.m. The fire was first reported at about 7:30 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol has closed Highway 1 at Rio Road just outside of Carmel-by-the-Sea due to the fire. From south of the fire, Highway 1 was closed at Andrew Molera State Park, just north of Big Sur.
The area affected by the evacuations is for residents living along Palo Colorado Road from Highway 1 east to the Rocky Creek Bridge and Bixby Creek Road.
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