- Evacuations were ordered around 9:30 p.m.
- A wind advisory was in effect.
- Fire weather isn't normally expected this time of year.
A wildfire that broke out among high winds, but in the peak of the rainy season, in California's Big Sur area Friday night forced people from their homes and shut down a portion of the iconic oceanside Highway 1.
An evacuation order was issued by Monterey County Emergency Services at 9:30 p.m. PST for areas in the fire's path. The American Red Cross opened a shelter at Carmel Middle School.The fire had burned about 2 square miles and was 5% contained as of 8:19 a.m., according to an update from CalFire.
A wind advisory had been issued in the Bay Area for Friday night and remains in effect through Saturday afternoon.
The Colorado Fire burns below Rocky Creek Bridge on Highway 1 near Big Sur, Calif., Friday, Jan. 21, 2022.
(AP Photo/Nic Coury)The blaze, dubbed the Colorado Fire, broke out despite heavy rainfall in recent months that has eased drought conditions.
"Pictures on social media suggest some pretty surreal fire behavior given the wet Oct. and Dec. that was observed across the region with multiple (atmospheric river) events," the NWS Bay Area office said in a message shared on Twitter.
Photos and video showed the fire burning on a hillside, along Highway 1 on either side of the historic Rocky Creek Bridge, and close to homes.
The fire jumped Highway 1 and the road was shut down in both directions from about 5 miles north of Big Sur to Rio Road in Carmel-By-The-Sea, according to the state Department of Transportation. It remained closed as of 6:30 a.m. PST.
The most recent drought monitor report, released Thursday, shows moderate to severe drought across nearly all of California, with a few areas in the northern part of the state still experiencing extreme drought. As recently as October, nearly all of the state was in exceptional or extreme drought, the two highest categories.
But the two-year drought left land and vegetation parched, leaving prime fuels for wildfires.
"Anecdotally it seems as the long-term drought is acting like a chronic illness where even recent rains and cold winter (weather) isn't helping to keep fires from developing," the NWS said.
Fire weather isn't usually expected this time of year.
"Conditions in Big Sur were atypical for the rainy season, but nonetheless supportive of fire growth," weather.com meteorologist Jonathan Belles said. "Winds in the area may have gusted up to 35 mph with overnight humidity values in the lower teens. The gusty winds and unburned soils and fuels were likely just enough to support the fire through the night."
Winds were forecast to slacken and moisture levels rise into the weekend across Central California, Belles said.
The fire in Big Sur wasn't the only one sparked among high winds Friday night in California. Video from a wildfire in Sonoma County showed a firefighter battling high winds and flames.
The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.
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January 23, 2022 at 01:19AM
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