Fires

Full containment of Big Sur’s Colorado fire expected Wednesday. Here’s latest on the fight

The Colorado Fire in Big Sur was 90% contained as of 8 a.m. Sunday, and all evacuation and road closure orders have been lifted.

The blaze, south of Carmel-by-the-Sea, has burned a total of 700 acres, according to the Cal Fire incident report.

Full containment is expected Wednesday, the report says.

An aerial shot of the Colorado Fire in Big Sur.
An aerial shot of the Colorado Fire in Big Sur. Courtesy Cal Fire

The fire in total threatened 225 structures, but just one, a yurt, was damaged.

The wildfire started at 7:17 p.m. Friday, Jan. 21, on Palo Colorado Canyon Road in Big Sur and was caused by hot embers from a “pile burning operation,” Cal Fire said in a news release Tuesday evening.

“High winds blew the embers onto nearby vegetation, which ignited the fire,” the release said.

The Colorado Fire burned next to the famed iconic Bixby Bridge on Highway 1.

“Unseasonal warm and dry weather conditions will prevail along the Big Sur coastline through the weekend with light offshore winds,” the report says.

Firefighters continue fire suppression repair, and a damage inspection has been completed.

The Colorado Fire burns near the Bixby Bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur, Calif., Saturday morning, Jan. 22, 2022.
The Colorado Fire burns near the Bixby Bridge on Highway 1 in Big Sur, Calif., Saturday morning, Jan. 22, 2022. Karl Mondon AP
An air tanker makes a drop on the Colorado Fire burning in Big Sur, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022.
An air tanker makes a drop on the Colorado Fire burning in Big Sur, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 22, 2022. Karl Mondon AP
The Colorado Fire near Big Sur came close to the famous Bixby Bridge along Highway 1.
The Colorado Fire near Big Sur came close to the famous Bixby Bridge along Highway 1. Courtesy Cal Fire

This story was originally published January 29, 2022 at 1:40 PM.

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