The Silver fire in Inyo and Mono counties continued to burn Monday morning, scorching 1,250 acres and spurring evacuations.
The vegetation-fueled blaze was first reported at 2:11 p.m. Sunday at Highway 6 and Silver Canyon Road north of Bishop, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire then jumped the highway and was threatening “multiple structures,” Cal Fire BDU said in a post on X. Highway 6 northbound and southbound is closed from Five Bridges Road to State Route 120 East in Benton.
Evacuation orders are in effect for the communities of Laws in Inyo County, Chalfant in Mono County and the White Mountain Estates neighborhood, according to Cal Fire. The fire was still 0% contained as of Monday morning.
The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest, home to the oldest trees in the world, is located in the White Mountains, east of the blaze, but a Cal Fire representative could not immediately be reached to comment about the potential threat to the pines.
The fire intensified overnight because of the terrain and strong winds, Cal Fire said. Winds are gusting up to 35 mph at the Bishop Airport. The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning through 9 p.m. Monday. Southwest winds are expected to range between 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 65 mph expected.
Officials established an evacuation center at the Benton Community Center, 58869 Highway 120 in Benton, according to the California Highway Patrol.