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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.

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.

California Wildfire
The Colorado Fire burns behind a house off Highway 1 near Big Sur, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)

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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