SAN DIEGO, Calif. (KGTV) — It is all hands on deck as the Colorado Fire continues to burn near Big Sur, and Cal Fire has sent 46 firefighters to fight the massive blaze.
"It started off small, the initial reports were, you know, 30 acres or so. And it grew exponentially due to, you know, strong winds in the area."
Cal fire sent dozens of its firefighters to help contain the wildfire that seven hundred acres. That is down from more than one thousand earlier because of more accurate mapping.
So far, it has only damaged one structure but is threatening more than two hundred others. A strike team of engines and a strike team of crews arrived late Saturday night.
"The engines will put in progressive hose lays and put out hot spots and ensure that their particular division is free of any active fire or any hot material," said Capt. Frank LoCoco.
"The hands crews will use hand tools and cut containment line around the fire between the burned and unburned fuel."
Captain Frank LoCoco said since the Santa Ana winds have let up firefighters now have the upper hand.
"This just goes to show that we absolutely can have a catastrophic fire, you know, any time of the year, it just depends on obviously, some of the parameters. And this particular one, the wind was able to overcome, really any of the recent precipitation we had and those cool, cool temperatures."
Captain LoCoco says now is the time of year folks usually create defensible space around their homes.
He also says despite dispatching crews, this won't impact local operations.
"We're still fully staffed in the county. We still have dozens of engines to respond. I know that can typically be a concern. We send engines out. We're fully staffed and ready to go," said LoCoco.
