A wildfire close to picturesque California Highway 1 snaking along the Pacific coast sparked evacuation orders into Monterey County on Friday night.
Evacuees shared images of raging flames that ignited behind the iconic Bixby Bridge that was the setting for movies and TV series like Big Little Lies.
“The strongest offshore (northeast) winds have peaked and expected to ease after midnight through sunrise. Humidity should trend higher by 4-6 am. Need to be on the watchout for some light southerly winds early Saturday morning,” the weather service said.
CalFire said the fire was visible in Santa Cruz County, about 70 miles from Monterey County.
A CalFire unit said it has dispatched four engines to battle the fire.
George Nunez, a CalFire captain, told the New York Times that he usually had 17 units but that at the start of summer, those were reduced to two when the fire season ended on January 3.
‘Anecdotally it seems as though the long term drought is acting like a chronic illness where even recent rains and cold winter wx [weather] isn`t helping to keep fires from developing,’ explained the NWS office in San Francisco.
More than 30.000 people in Golden State were without power on Sunday night, as PowerOutage.us.
UPDATE: Highway 1 is now closed in both directions from near the entrance to Andrew Molera State Park in Big Sur to Rio Road in Carmel due to a brush fire. Please drive safely and be aware of all emergency responders.@PIOJimShivers
Quickmap@dot.ca.gov https://t.co/S41J1xyZ1R— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) January 22, 2022
We have received multiple 911 calls to our Felton Emergency Command Center reporting the #ColoradoFire. While this fire can be seen from Santa Cruz County, it is located in Monterey County. CAL FIRE CZU has sent 4 fire engines to help fight this fire. #MutualAid #CaWx https://t.co/Jciu6CQ1Te
— CAL FIRE CZU (@CALFIRECZU) January 22, 2022