Huge wildfire erupts in California
California and local officials said Saturday that a 1,500-acre fire near the state's coastal region of Big Sur has caused evacuations and closed part of a major highway.
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said firefighting teams had managed to contain 5% of the blaze, known as the Colorado Fire, that has been burning since Friday.
About 430,000 people live in the area where the fire is burning in Monterey County.
It is not yet clear how many residents will be evacuated.
County officials said the American Red Cross opened a shelter at a school in the area late Friday.
There has long been a wildfire season in California, but it has become longer and more painful in recent years as the effects of climate change intensify.
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